A colourful candlemaker

While studying engineering, Terry Nagel played circuit squash and traveled to Spain to compete, when a spectator – a model agent from Madrid – told him to become a model.

“I did not take it seriously,” said Nagel, a tall, athletically built man with an interesting accent.

As fate would have it, Nagel injured his ankle shortly afterwards and could not play for six months, so he contacted the agent.

“He found work for me with these huge Spanish chain stores. Suddenly I was making more money in one day than I did in a month of squash!”

It was not long before a German agency wanted the then 23-year-old Nagel.

“I hopped on a train and arrived in Munich in November in my sandals and shorts and it was cold. So cold, I could not go outside, so I spent the weekend in the train station – showering in the bathroom, drinking hot chocolate and sleeping on the benches.”

Come Monday morning, he plucked up the courage to go outside, directly to the agency, looking rather disheveled after a weekend in the station.

“They looked at me in shock and said I looked nothing like the photos!”

After nearly six years in Germany, a Parisian agency wanted him, so he cycled to France over five days.

“It was a wonderful time – I was man alone, not a care in the world. I got to Paris at 4am and asked a policeman where the Eiffel Tower was. I remember sitting underneath the Eiffel watching the sun rise and I instantly fell in love with Paris.”

He stayed there for six years, living in a former 120 square metre kitchen that had been barricaded shut since the second world war in a mansion right in the middle of Paris.

“I knew the family, bourgeoisie from Monaco, who owned the massive apartment block and they mentioned that they had this former kitchen that no one used. It was absolutely massive – the ceilings were six metres high, bunk beds reaching right to the top where Jews were hidden during the war. It was dusty, dirty and old, but I knew I could fix it up. In three months, it was a gem – the bathroom was super romantic with antique mirrors and the kitchen was dramatic with these fantastic black and red tiles.”

He continued jet-setting around the world, living the life, until one day it all came to an abrupt end.

“Sitting in my Manhattan apartment, I heard this roar. A plane came flying right over my apartment and into the Twin Towers. I watched as they collapsed in front of me, people holding hands, jumping out of the windows. That moment changed me and I knew I had to get out.”

He switched off everything and moved to his farm overlooking the Sundays River in the Eastern Cape, living a life of solitude for four years after 14 years of international modeling.

“I literally lived off the land and sunshine. I had no electricity, caught rainwater and grew my own vegetables. My only company were my three Ridgebacks. It was a beautiful healing time.”

The only person he occasionally saw was Etta, the owner of a nearby bed and breakfast called The Dungbeetle. When he popped in to wish them Merry Christmas, a “cute blonde” unexpectedly broke his solitude.

“She was having breakfast with her mom and invited me to join them. Her name was Elaine and she was visiting from Durban. She had this great little haircut, a real chic, city girl and here I was, a mountain man with my long hair and big beard.”

She shaved off the beard, cut his hair and turned him into a “respectable young man”. Ten years later, they now live in Salt Rock, married and with two children, eight-year-old Eva and five-year-old Liam.

A stay-at-home dad, Terry started making candles about 18 months ago to keep busy and called his company Foreva, as the money made from the business goes into a trust fund for this daughter, Eva.

“I did a lot of research about waxes, quality of wicks, fragrances and burning hours to create a quality candle.”

With delicate fragrances such as Rainforest Palm, Brandy Snap and Nagel’s favourite, Lime and Clary Sage, it is no wonder that his business has taken off so quickly. He makes about 75 candles a day, each weighing one kilogram and works through two tonnes of wax a month. His candles are sold at Willow at Sage, Health at Tiffany’s and Azhiko in Ballito or at various markets. For more information, send a mail to terry@Forevacandles.com or give him a call on 082 967 5141.

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