Hermi Dempsey: Nail technician, Covid survivor Picking herself up after near-death

CELEBRATION: HAPPY TO SEE HER 40TH BIRTHDAY AFTER PUTTING TRAUMA BEHIND HER

- Marizka Coetzer

Hermi Dempsey and her twin sister celebrated their 40th birthday this year, something she initially took for granted three years ago.

"Forty is a very stable age; I am very happy where I am and very gentle with myself because I nearly died at 37 years old when I contracted Covid in 2021. Not everybody turns 40 years old. Growing old is a privilege."

Dempsey was born as one of a set of twins in Springs where they grew up and matriculated in 2004.

"We are not identical twins but we do look alike. I am taller and Anette is older. We had separate wombs, so we are biological sisters," she explained.

Demsey said she and her sister had that typical twin bond you saw on a television show.

"At the age of 17, I completed my first nail technician course. I have been an entrepreneur since very young. My mother sent me for training in the one school holiday. I completed my exams in the next school holiday and was a qualified nail technician before I wrote matric.

Dempsey said her first clients included her mother's friends and her school friends' mothers.

After school, Demsey wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps by studying education at Tshwane University of Technology and moved to Pretoria.