Program Host Jane Treacy on the beach, ballet, and burgers
Interview by Maya Cassidy
The month of May brings us brighter days. We’re celebrating more sunlight and fresh air this month, and we’re also celebrating Mom on Sunday, May 10! Since Mother’s Day is almost upon us, it only made sense to talk to one of our beloved QVC moms, Jane Treacy, to find out what this special day means to her.
Maya Cassidy: What are some of your favorite Mother’s Day memories?
Jane Treacy: Mother’s Day was always about telling my mom how much I loved her. I’m so glad I did. She was an amazing woman. One of my favorite memories was when I finally got to sell carnations after Sunday Mass on Mother’s Day as a young girl. All the eighth-grade girls got to do it, and I was so excited to be there after years of watching my siblings sell them.
MC: Do you have any special Mother’s Day memories with your daughters? You probably have new ones every year!
JT: Mother’s Day was always very bittersweet after my mom passed in 1991, but having daughters keeps her memory alive. I get to experience so many things she experienced with me.
My daughter, Cara, and I love Les Miserables, and there’s a song with the lyrics, “Nevermore alone; nevermore apart; you’ve warmed my heart like the sun.” Two years ago, Cara had that saying engraved on a heart-shaped box and gave it to me on Mother’s Day. I keep it next to my bed. Deirdre always looks for special pieces with cardinals on them because cardinals remind me of my own mother. There’s nothing more precious than these keepsakes.
MC: Get the tissues—we’re having a moment! Do you have any Mother’s Day traditions?
JT: For many years, we did the Race for the Cure with my sister, Chrissy, who is a breast cancer survivor. We support that cause so strongly in my family, and of course, we support it at the Q with QVC Presents“FFANY Shoes on Sale.”
We often go to the beach for Mother’s Day. The best part is that moms can do the rides for free on the boardwalk! I love rides! Every mom gets a flower and a free wristband for the amusements. I was recently in San Antonio, Texas, for Mother’s Day, and it all came full circle when I went to Mass. They asked me if I’m a mom, and they pinned a gorgeous rose corsage on my lapel. It reminded me of those beautiful carnations I sold in eighth grade.
MC: What are your plans for the holiday this year?
JT: We’re hoping to go away as a family. Cara is a professional ballet dancer, and her schedule can be really crazy sometimes. It’s so important to make the time to come together as often as possible and keep that family bond. If we stay home, though, my husband, Sean, makes a mean burger, and I know we’ll be eating that. I don’t eat a lot of meat, but I always make an exception for Sean’s burgers!
MC: You mentioned that your daughter, Cara, is a ballet dancer. What can you tell us about that?
JT: Both of my daughters dance, actually. I danced as a student with the Pennsylvania Ballet, and my daughters both decided that they wanted to take it up as well. Cara danced when she was young, and then she pursued other interests for a couple years before picking it up again. I once heard that the most important part of being a ballerina is having courage. That’s so true because it’s so demanding. Nothing in life is easy—things are so much more precious when you work for them. She amazes me because she left dance for years and came back and made it as a professional. It was something she really wanted, and then she worked hard for it. She danced her first professional performance in The Nutcracker Suite this year. I was in tears the whole time!
MC: Such a proud mom! Do you have any words of wisdom to all the mothers out there?
JT: Children rise to your level of expectation—so keep those expectations high! Things don’t have to be difficult, and I know there are so many other moms who agree with me. I have two teenage girls, and although it’s not always sunshine and rainbows every single day, I’ve stayed close to both of them. I cherish every moment. The bond with your child begins as soon as that baby is in your arms.
“Mother’s Day was always very bittersweet after my mom passed in 1991, but having daughters keeps her memory alive.”