Stop Reading If You Don't Want A Broken Heart

I figured I'd dust off this stale, musty blog here in the hope that it would reach at least one of the few of you who still check in here, and that it might compel you to help.

I work with a copywriter named Mike. I don't know him very well, but I do know he's very nice, he's very good at what he does, he's very patient with our Accounts Payable process (he's a contractor and therefore invoices us for his hours worked), and, sadly - terribly - he lost his first and only child yesterday, Madeline Alice Spohr.

She was 17 months old. That link will give you the full story, but the less-painfully detailed version is that she was born premature. Preemies, as most of you may or may not know, are very susceptible to illness and breathing problems due to the relative immaturity of their lungs at birth. Maddy became ill on Sunday night and yesterday she was gone.

Even though I barely know Mike, my heart still breaks for him. He is living the unimaginable. His nightmares have come true and now he will never be the same, no matter where life takes him from here.

Mike and his wife Heather have asked that, in lieu of flowers. donations be made to Madeline's March of Dimes team walk. So far, almost $23,000 has been raised.

Friends of theirs have also set up a PayPal link [UPDATE! Direct Link to PayPal when you click on Maddie's picture to the left], where you can donate cash directly to the Spohrs at formaddie@hotmomreviews.com.

Since I work with Mike and I process his invoices, I also know that his contractor status means he does not receive paid leave under California's FMLA or any other sort of paid time off. Therefore, Dan and I made the choice to donate directly to the PayPal link. Money should be the least of their worries at this time.

I'm hoping you read this and that you're as moved to donate as we were. I know we all have our own problems in life, I know we're all feeling the pinch of the current economy, but we also have so many reasons to feel blessed right now. Even if you only have $5 to give, and even though it won't help ease the gut-wrenching pain in Mike and Heather's hearts right now, you will make a difference to them by giving it.