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2024: A Year in Review

Writer's picture: Jamie MisickJamie Misick

Wow, what a year! It's incredible to see that The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation has successfully completed its first full year. It's even more unbelievable to think that our beloved Hazel has been gone for over two years.


This past year has been incredibly healing for us. We welcomed our sweet Owen Haze into the family, and we can't imagine our lives without him. His sister has given us a male version of herself. Having a child after losing one is an intense experience. No one can prepare you for the range of emotions you will face daily—it truly challenges your resilience.


We aim to be completely transparent in all our foundation's activities, as it is entirely funded by our supporters. Therefore, we have compiled a year in review to showcase the work we've accomplished over the past year to assist others. We are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support. While we understand that as time goes by, people move on, but we are left with a permanent void in our hearts. We deeply appreciate everyone who remains with us on this journey.


 

Some of the highlights from The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation over the past year include:


1st Annual Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation Night at the Races


We began 2024 by launching The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation with a Night at the Races. It was an amazing event with numerous wonderful supporters. We raised over $5,000, which went on to fund our inaugural Hazel Joy Memorial Scholarship. Our foundation was established not only to assist families who have lost a child but also to honor siblings who have lost their best friend.





 

HJM Super Bowl Squares Fundraiser


This enjoyable and simple event helped raise awareness for our foundation and introduced a bit of friendly competition among its supporters! We collected $600, but most importantly, we had a great time giving back to some of our supporters.





 

The Hazel Joy Memorial Scholarship


The Hazel Joy Memorial Scholarship was possibly our most cherished initiative in 2024. We granted $2,500 to Amira Barrett, who lost her sister Natalia. Her story deeply touched us, and we are delighted to have supported her college journey at Spelman College. We received the message below from Amira, confirming that we selected the best candidate and are eager to repeat this in 2025!


"I woke up to this amazing news about me winning the Hazel Joy Scholarship. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for reading my story and for uniting with me in the effort to keep the legacy of our family members alive. I am so proud to have won this scholarship and look forward to using it to propel my career so that I may also give back. I am excited to establish a career so that I can fun the Natalia Barrett Scholarship after I graduate for those who have lost a sibling. Hazel Joy and Natalia Barret are smiling down on us right now. Thank you so much again and may God bless you all <3"





 

2nd Annual Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation Golf Outing


Many people claim this is the most enjoyable event of the year. It's truly wonderful to witness so many individuals unite for such an excellent cause. It is undoubtedly the largest event of the year, generating over $15,000! From the proceeds of the golf outing, we donated $6,000+ to Lifebanc. In case you're unaware, Hazel was an organ donor, and during our brief time at the hospital, Lifebanc was an outstanding organization to collaborate with. We know all too well what it's like having to make an unthinkable decision such as donating your child's organs to help others. Lifebanc was there to support us through the whole process and we are forever grateful for them.


This golf outing is just so fun, and we are thankful to everyone at Bunker Hill Golf Course for making it so effortless. They manage everything for us, and we deeply appreciate all their hard work. Organizing these events requires a lot of effort, and we couldn't do it without our partners.





 

Annual Lifebanc Gift of Life Walk


Every year, it's wonderful to gather with those who have donated an organ, received one, or are involved in the donation community due to tragic circumstances. This event is always emotional, as it includes a remarkable remembrance walk to honor those who lost their lives and gave the gift of donation. Seeing Hazel's beautiful face in the memory garden each year brings tears to our eyes. It's comforting to be among others who understand our experiences. While it is deeply sad, it also brings us a sense of calm.


We are grateful for our friends and family who walk with us each year to honor our sweet Hazel. Things like this aren't easy and we are just so thankful for those who walk beside us in our grief.





 

UH Rainbow Babies & Children Toy Drive


Supporting the children in the hospital has always been a priority for our family. Our time at UH was brief, yet it left a lasting impression on us. We are eternally thankful to the doctors and nurses who treated Hazel as if she were their own. We continue to contribute to UH in various ways, but this toy drive is our favorite! Last year, we donated $6,000 to UH PICU and Child Services. We were unaware of the crucial work Child Services does at the hospital until we faced tragedy, and their work is truly remarkable. They assisted us in explaining to the boys that they had lost their sister and ensured we received Hazel's handprints and keepsakes before saying goodbye. They were there for us when we needed them most. During our stay, we also met incredible nurses who will always have a special place in our hearts. It would be remiss not to mention how wonderful these people were to our family.


The Toy Drive is always significant for us, especially for Lucas (our 6-year-old son). He loves seeing all the packages arrive at the house and the toys filling up our dining room table. He enjoys going to the hospital and proudly delivering all the presents for the kids there!





 


The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation Merch Shop


What began as a personal desire to buy merchandise for ourselves this year evolved into others wanting to proudly wear our sweet girl's name! It truly fills us with joy to see people wearing The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation apparel, as it helps raise awareness of our beloved Hazel Joy. Our aim has always been to transform our tragedy into something positive, and the support we've received has been incredible. This year, we achieved $2,987 in merchandise sales! We only earn a commission on these sales (around $400), but witnessing this is simply amazing! I'm not concerned about the profits; I'm just thrilled that others wish to support our daughter and the foundation established in her honor.




 

The year 2024 was truly amazing, and none of it would have been possible without the support of others. To friends, family, coworkers, acquaintances, strangers, and everyone in between, THANK YOU! We are eagerly looking forward to an even better 2025!



With Love,


Sean & Jamie Misick, Hazel's Mommy and Daddy

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