In Memory of Maddie

One year ago today a beautiful little girl named Maddie flew to Heaven. Like our Max, Maddie was a preemie and had been born just shy of 29 weeks. Her lungs were scarred due to her prematurity and on April 6 of last year she came down with a respiratory infection. She passed away very unexpectedly the following day.

I'll never forget the shock I felt when I learned of her death. I spent the rest of the day in a haze. My heart broke for her parents, Heather and Mike. Having a preemie of our own, it hit way too close to home.

Maddie's vibrant smile and personality united the interwebs like I've never witnessed before. Today, the anniversary of her passing, is no exception. Purple (the color of the March of Dimes) is everywhere, including on my toes. She was (and continues to be) so loved by all.

Heather & Mike have since formed an incredible organization called Friends of Maddie. It's main focus is supporting parents & families with a child in the NICU and is a cause I encourage everyone to support.

Another way to support is to donate to the March of Dimes. Here's an excerpt of their mission statement: "Our mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality". Every year there is a walk called The March for Babies with locations all across the country, not to mention hundreds of teams that walk in memory of Maddie. Should you care to donate to the cause, I encourage you to support my dear friend Colleen's team in Jacksonville, FL. Follow this link to her website and click on the March for Babies logo on the right hand side. Thank you.