Naman Shrestha
During a road trip across the country with her fiancé, Brian Christopher Laundrie, Gabrielle “Gabby” Venora Petito went missing in late August 2021. When her family failed to get in touch with her for several days, they filed a missing persons report. Her entire family, including her mother, Nichole Schmidt, and stepfather, James “Jim” Schmidt, were concerned about her and got involved in her search. The couple was devastated when her body was finally found near a campground in Wyoming on September 19. Netflix’s ‘American Murder: Gabby Petito’ covers the case comprehensively, featuring Gabby’s recorded vlog footage and interviews with her loved ones. Following her untimely and tragic demise, Nichole and Jim Schmidt joined forces with Gabby’s father, Joe Petito, and stepmother, Tara Petito, to establish the Gabby Petito Foundation.
Nichole and Jim Schmidt Put All Their Focus on Domestic Violence Awareness
While Nichole is the President of the Gabby Petito Foundation, Jim trains first responders on domestic violence awareness. The foundation puts the spotlight on domestic violence by creating stricter laws and policies around it, aiming to prevent such crimes from happening altogether. In 2022, the foundation donated $100k to the National Domestic Violence Hotline in order to help them build the group’s capacity. In the process, Nichole and Jim have mended their relationships with the other half of Gabby’s parents — Joe and Tara Petito. Nichole admitted that Gabby always wanted all four of her parents to be close to one another, something that happened quite organically after her passing.
Nichole elaborated on the same during her conversation with People, saying, “She always had this desire to have us all together. I think her spirit shines down now and is so happy that we’re working together and we’re together all the time because that’s what she wanted.” In May 2024, Nichole and the other three core members of the foundation sat on a panel at CrimeCon 2024 Nashville. She opened up about how more people began paying more attention to cases of domestic violence. Expressing how proud she is of Gabby and the impact her life has had, she added, “We get emails all the time from people saying, ‘Gabby saved my life. She gave me the power to get out of my abusive relationship.’ Survivors are coming out and telling their stories. Laws are changing and we’re going to keep fighting.”
Jim is a Part-Time Firefighter, While Nichole is the President of the Gabby Petito Foundation
Before the tragedy turned her life upside down, Nichole Schmidt had an active professional career. After graduating with a degree in Graphic Design, she served as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for some period of time. Later, she switched her professional path by becoming a teaching assistant, working with children with disabilities at a public school. She then decided to invest all her energy into the Gabby Petito Foundation, where she currently serves as the President.
On the other hand, James “Jim” Schmidt graduated from Columbia Southern University with a degree in Occupational Safety and Health/Fire Science. During his Emergency Services career of more than two decades, he has served as a Fire Captain for BNLFD and Fire Chief for Blue Point FD. Currently, he works part-time for the Setauket Fire District as a Firefighter. Besides that, he also serves as a Training Specialist at Hillsborough County Fire Rescue. Around early 2024, he received the Fire Marshal Service Citation award at the HCFR 50th anniversary banquet.
Nichole and Jim Schmidt Are Finding Comfort in Each Other and Their Kids
Having been together for nearly 20 years, Nichole and Jim Schmidt supported each other through Gabby Petito’s sudden death. Although she is not present with them physically, she continues to motivate them to advocate for domestic violence survivors and victims with the help of the Gabby Petito Foundation. From what we can tell, they are doting parents to four amazing children, including Maddy and TJ Schmidt. Residing in Tampa, Florida, the couple’s family also includes a couple of furry little companions named Koda and Piper. In May 2024, Nichole and Jim attended the CrimeCon in Nashville, where they were given a chance to speak up and meet wonderful people. Talking about it, the former said, “Reading my victim impact statement was an intense and healing experience.”
A couple of months later, they traveled to Las Vegas to attend the annual Parents of Murdered Children Conference. They ensure to take time out from their busy schedule to spend quality time with each other and their kids. For festivals and celebrations such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, they dress up suitably and enjoy themselves. While Nichole finds peace and comfort on beaches, Jim enjoys fishing, something he is trying to teach his kids as well.
Read More: Tara and Joe Petito: Where Are Gabby Petito’s Dad and Step-Mom Now?
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