Like any first-time dad, Matt Logelin was overwhelmed with joy the first time he laid eyes on his newborn daughter, Madeline.
He and his wife, Liz, were high school sweethearts, and had been together for eight years before they tied the knot in 2005.
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With a brand new home, a wonderful marriage and a beautiful baby girl on the way, Matt could not have been more proud to become a father.
Liz had a difficult pregnancy with Maddy. After being put on bed rest, the soon-to-be mommy created a blog to chronicle her journey and keep friends and family updated on her health.
After five weeks of bed rest, baby Maddy was delivered via emergency C-section seven weeks early.
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Liz only got to see Maddy for a brief minute, then was kept in bed for an additional 24 hours to recover from the surgery. Matt bounced between his two leading ladies—his wife in her hospital room, and his daughter in the NICU—before finally getting to escort Liz to Maddy.
But as the new mom stood to make her way to the NICU, she collapsed on the floor.
Just 27 hours after giving birth, Liz died of a massive pulmonary embolism.
In just one day, Matt’s entire world turned upside down. He became a father and a widower in just a matter of hours.
Matt says he didn’t know how to live without Liz. Not to mention how to be a father to a brand new baby and do it all on his own.
After bringing Maddy home, Matt started trying to “re-build.” He had the joy of a new life, but the immense pain, sorrow and loneliness of a husband who’d lost his wife.
Yet he chose to keep moving forward and make a life for Maddy.
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Unsure of where to turn, Matt sat down at the computer one night—right where Liz had once sat to type her pregnancy blog—and just started writing.
He didn’t know why, but he felt the need to express his emotions on the same platform his wife once expressed hers.
Taking to his wife’s blog, Matt found purpose in his pain.
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He found a way to update both of their families on his growing baby girl, and he was able to prove that he wasn’t clueless in his efforts.
What started as a pregnancy pastime for Liz quickly turned into a parenting blog and reflection of Matt’s life without her, boasting more than 40,000 daily readers.
Matt says these strangers became his extended family, and before he knew it, something beautiful had happened: Matt had started to heal.
Relying on his daughter and a community of strangers for support, Matt made it through.
Readers from all over the country would write heartfelt messages to Matt and Madelyn, giving the dad unsolicited and welcomed parenting advice, while sending love and hugs to his sweet baby girl.
Matt went on to write a New York Times Bestselling Memoir called Two kisses for Maddy, about his and Liz’s love story, along with the journey through his first year of life, death and fatherhood as a widower.
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Today, Maddy is nine years old, and lives happily with Matt in Los Angeles, California. Their story of love and loss continues to touch the lives of thousands.
