Our guest this week is Adam Birchmeier of Muskegon, MI who is a Business Sales Representative with Access Health and the father of daughter with Angelman Syndrome, who very sadly passed away in August, after a brief illness.

Adam and his wife, Nicole, have been married for 4 years and are the proud parents of Maddie who was born in June 2020, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome at 18 months and who, very sadly, passed away in August, shortly after her third birthday.

We also learn about Maddie's Joy, the blog and podcast Adam created to reflect on the family's Angelman Syndrome journey. Most touchingly, on the September 15, 2023 podcast, Adam read the eulogy he gave Maddie at her funeral.

While Maddie's passing is very sad, Adam and Nicole find some solace in knowing that Maddie had (and continues to have) a positive impact in the lives of others, through Gift-Of-Life organ donation, and despite her short presence on this earth.

We’ll hear all about Maddie, her smile and how her infectious spirit lives on. That’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast.

Show Links:
Email – maddiesjoy2020@gmail.com
Website - https://www.maddiesjoy.com/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-birchmeier-48b5ab191/
Podcast – September 15, 2023 – Maddie’s Eulogy – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-20-maddies-eulogy/id1650857579?i=1000627978534
Blog – Day 366 - https://www.maddiesjoy.com/blog/day-366
Blog – More Than A Diagnosis - https://www.maddiesjoy.com/blog/more-than-a-diagnosis
USA Today Story September 14, 2021 - https://news.yahoo.com/uncharted-territory-090314817.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubWFkZGllc2pveS5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAHxlXYTOqDCx68BHEdP-YBakgam3xEClnzek3IrQ97lKNsaIEbN93SfGkWizjZxzheruyy4XcxLVFzW0NyZf6hqOWRXIl4-9dRsk9HVWrkrh1c0vP8SPJMWdPw8Ko7IjvJ0pd7rju5VVMBVywOhxT_qXK6AeBPld6NHtKOIID-Sj&guccounter=2
Angelman Syndrome Foundation – https://www.angelman.org/
FAST - https://cureangelman.org/

Special Fathers Network -
SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first received our child's diagnosis. I felt so isolated. There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through."

SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations.

Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channe... Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/do...

Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/

SFN Dads Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/

Discover more about the Dads Honor Ride 2023 - https://21stcenturydads.org/2023-dads-honor-ride/

Find out about Horizon Therapeutics – Science and Compassion Working Together To Transform Lives. https://www.horizontherapeutics.com/
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