His wife was told she needed to stay in bed and rest up another 24 hours and then she could go and see their new daughter. Matt teased her about being three diaper changes ahead of her, and how she’d have to catch up. When the time finally came, she was excited about her new-found independence after the long spell of bed rest.  Matt again teased her about how soon it would be her turn to wait on him since he’d been waiting on her for five weeks.  She got up when the nurse asked if she was ready to go, her excitement shining through. Liz then said that she felt lightheaded, and passed out.  Liz never did get to see her daughter.


Matt lost his wife that morning.

Madeline lost her mother. 

Matt says that “doctors and nurses rushed to help her, but nothing could be done to bring her back. No one to blame. Shitty luck and a pulmonary embolism are what led us to the saddest, most horrific moment of my life. Life and death—all in a 27 hour period.”

Trying to figure out where to even begin to go from there…where to begin learning how to raise a tiny little daughter on his own…Matt found himself turning to the internet for some parenting advice. He never dreamed the outpouring of support he would receive in turn. He had set up a blog for his friends and family, in order to keep them updated with what was going on. It turns out…thousands were touched by his story. But still, through it all…he had to go on…and live his life…missing the one person who his heart kept reaching for.

He knows he has to be the one who has to learn how to braid Madeline’s hair, and shop in that pink aisle full of dolls and castles as she gets older. Each and every day is a new learning experience. And while it is clear how much he adores his daughter, it is also clear how much he was totally in love with his beautiful, vibrant wife. He talks about how the littlest things will make him remember, like looking at his daughter’s long fingers. But he also says how looking at his precious little daughter helps to ease the pain….that it makes you smile a “Liz-sized smile”.

Matt said that since Maddy had to spend the first two weeks of her young life in the hospital due to being premature…the house felt…empty…and sad without Liz.  But finally, the day came when he was able to bring Maddy home. As he was going up the walk, and into the house with his daughter, he said for the first time in two weeks, the house felt different. It felt full of life….with Madeline.

And that afternoon…a cycle of his new life began. A diaper changing. A bottle feeding. And he said he knew there would be many, many more….and that he would smile…a lot.