Frequently Asked Questions About The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation
- Jamie Misick
- 18 hours ago
- 7 min read
One of the things I love most about sharing Hazel's story is the conversations it starts. Whether you've been following our journey since 2022 or just recently found our foundation, there are a handful of questions I get asked over and over again.
So I thought it would be helpful to answer a few of them here.
What happened to Hazel?
This is by far the question I receive the most.
Rather than trying to summarize the hardest day of our lives in a few paragraphs, I wrote an entire blog post dedicated to Hazel's story...what happened, how our lives changed forever, and why this foundation exists today.
If you're new here or have ever wondered about Hazel's story, I encourage you to start there. It answers (most!) of the questions people have and gives a better picture of who Hazel was and why we work so hard to honor her every day.
What exactly does The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation do?
This answer has changed quite a bit over the last few years.
When we first started the foundation, our vision was actually pretty simple. We wanted to honor Hazel's name, keep her memory alive, and maybe create a scholarship in her honor.
It has grown into so much more than we ever imagined.
Today, our mission is centered around supporting families and organizations impacted by child loss. We believe that when tragedy happens, no family should have to navigate it alone.
Some of the ways we do that include:
Supporting families after the loss of a child or during a traumatic medical event. Whether that's helping with financial burdens, organizing community fundraisers, or simply showing up when people need it most, we try to meet families where they are.
Funding scholarships for siblings who have experienced child loss. Our Hazel Joy Memorial Scholarship was created for students who have lost a brother or sister. We know grief follows children into the classroom, and we hope this scholarship helps them continue to dream big despite unimaginable loss.
Supporting organizations making a difference. We proudly support organizations like Cribs for Kids®, whose mission is to help prevent infant sleep-related deaths through safe sleep education and by providing safe sleep environments for families in need. Their work helps save babies' lives through education and access to safe sleep resources.
We also support Lifebanc, Northeast Ohio's organ, eye, and tissue recovery organization. Organ donation became deeply personal to our family after Hazel became a donor, and we're honored to help further Lifebanc's mission of saving and healing lives through organ, eye, and tissue donation while supporting donor families along the way.
At the end of the day, our mission is pretty simple.
If someone in our community needs help, and we're in a position to help, we want to do it.
That's really what this foundation is all about.
How do you find the time to do all of this? Would you ever do this as your full-time job?
I used to get asked this question all the time at my previous job because I was working full-time while building the foundation on nights and weekends.
The honest answer?
I don't really know...we just make it work.
When something matters this much to you, you find the time. There are plenty of late nights, early mornings, and weekends spent planning events, answering emails, organizing fundraisers, and dreaming up new ways to help others.
People are often surprised when I say this, but I actually don't think I'd want this to become my full-time job.
The foundation is one of my greatest passions. It's something I genuinely love doing. There's no pressure, no expectations...just a desire to honor Hazel and help people. It has become my favorite "hobby," if you can even call it that.
I've also never wanted to personally benefit financially from this organization. That has always been important to me. Every dollar raised belongs to the mission, not to me.
For me, this foundation has never been about building a career.
It's about building a legacy.
A legacy that keeps Hazel's name alive, helps families through their darkest days, and reminds people that even after unimaginable loss, good can still grow.
Are you and Sean paid by the foundation?
No.
The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation is entirely volunteer-run. Sean and I don't receive salaries or compensation. We both work full-time jobs, raise our family, and dedicate our evenings, weekends, and countless hours throughout the year to the foundation because we believe deeply in its mission.
This has never been about us...it's always been about Hazel.
Why do you still talk about Hazel so much?
Because she's our daughter.
People often ask this gently, and the answer is actually very simple.
You don't stop being a parent because your child dies.
As time passes, life naturally moves forward for everyone around us, and we're thankful for that. But for us, Hazel is still part of every single day. We celebrate her birthday, talk about her with Lucas and Owen, tell stories about her, and build this foundation in her honor.
Talking about Hazel doesn't keep us stuck...it keeps her included.
Why do you continue sharing your story publicly?
Because if our story helps even one person, it's worth it.
Whether it's another grieving parent who suddenly feels less alone, a family learning about safe sleep, someone choosing to register as an organ donor, or a supporter deciding to help another family in crisis, then sharing our story has purpose.
We also refuse to let Hazel be forgotten.
She deserves to be talked about. She deserves to be remembered. She deserves to continue changing lives.
How can I nominate a family?
We never want a family to feel like they have to go searching for help after experiencing the unimaginable.
If you know a family who has lost a child or is navigating a traumatic medical event involving their child, we'd love to hear from you. Nominations can come from friends, family members, coworkers, or even the family themselves.
Every situation is different, and while we may not always be able to provide financial assistance immediately, we promise to listen. If we're able to help, we will. If we're not, we'll do our best to connect families with other resources that may be available.
Our goal has always been simple: to make sure families know they are not alone.
How are scholarship recipients selected?
Our scholarship was created specifically for students who have lost a sibling...a group we feel is often overlooked after the loss of a child.
Each application is reviewed carefully. We look at academics, community involvement, personal essays, recommendations, and most importantly, how applicants have persevered through one of life's hardest experiences.
Choosing recipients is never easy. Every year we're blown away by the strength, resilience, and kindness these students show despite everything they've been through.
Honestly, if we could award every single applicant, we would.
Why is your scholarship specifically for siblings who have experienced loss?
Because siblings grieve too.
So often, the focus after a child dies is understandably on the parents. But brothers and sisters experience a life-changing loss as well, and many carry that grief quietly for years.
We wanted to create something that acknowledges their strength, honors their resilience, and reminds them that their story matters too. We hope the scholarship helps them chase their dreams while carrying their sibling's memory with them.
Where does the money go?
This is one of my favorite questions because transparency is incredibly important to us.
Every dollar donated goes right back into our mission.
That includes:
Financial assistance for families after the loss of a child or during a traumatic medical crisis involving a child.
The Hazel Joy Memorial Scholarship for students who have lost a sibling.
Donations to organizations like Cribs for Kids and Lifebanc that align with our mission.
Programs, events, and initiatives that support bereaved families and raise awareness around child loss, organ donation, and safe sleep.
We don't exist to make money...we exist to make a difference. Every fundraiser, golf outing, sponsorship, raffle ticket, merchandise purchase and donation helps us continue doing exactly that.
How can I get involved?
This is the easiest question to answer: there are so many ways!
You don't have to sponsor an event or make a huge donation to make an impact.
You can:
Attend one of our fundraisers.
Sponsor our annual golf outing or another event.
Volunteer your time.
Donate raffle baskets or auction items.
Share our social media posts.
Nominate a family who could use support.
Make a donation—whether it's $5 or $500, every single dollar matters.
Purchase some Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation merchandise.
Share Hazel's name.
Sometimes the biggest impact comes from simply sharing our mission with someone who has never heard of us before.
Our foundation has grown because people continue to believe in what we're doing and tell others about it. We truly couldn't do any of this without our incredible community.
Every person who supports The Hazel Joy Memorial Foundation becomes part of Hazel's legacy, and for that, we are forever grateful.
What's next for the foundation?
People ask us this all the time, and the truth is...we're not exactly sure!
When we started this foundation, we thought we'd create one scholarship and host a small fundraiser in Hazel's honor.
Today, we're awarding multiple scholarships, supporting local families, partnering with organizations we deeply believe in, and bringing hundreds of people together every year through our events.
We never imagined it would grow into what it has.
As long as there are families who need support, we'll keep finding ways to help. We don't know exactly what the future holds, but we do know one thing:
We'll continue making decisions the same way we've always tried to—by asking ourselves, "What would make the biggest difference for families who are walking a road no one ever wants to walk?"