Matt Logelin and Liz Goodman, both from Minnetonka, MN, found love in the most unexpected place: a local gas station. During their senior year of high school, a spark was lit between them, leading to an inseparable bond.
As graduation approached, the couple faced an obstacle: Matt stayed at the University of Minnesota, while Liz moved to California for college. Although physically separated, their emotional connection remained unbreakable. Matt eventually chose love over academics and moved to Los Angeles in 2005, after completing his master’s degree at Loyola University Chicago.
Embracing life’s adventures, from trips to Nepal to career advancements – Liz as a financial specialist at Disney and Matt as a project manager at Yahoo! – the couple decided to officially seal their love. They married on August 13, 2005, in a celebration filled with friends, family and abundant joy.
“Their love was the love that stories and legends are made of. A love that survived the distance, embraced life and celebrated every moment.
Exhilarated to expand their family, they were thrilled when Liz became pregnant in 2007. Keeping their Minnesota-based family in the loop, they started a blog chronicling Liz’s pregnancy journey. Although a difficult pregnancy kept Liz confined to bed, the couple’s morale remained high, buoyed by the promise of their future child.
The arrival of their daughter Madeline, although premature and via emergency C-section, was a joyful moment marred by tragedy. On March 24, 2008, Liz tragically passed away from a pulmonary embolism shortly after giving birth. The blog meant to capture happiness has become a chronicle of heartbreak.
Matt’s Transformation and Commitment to Fatherhood
Faced with the harsh reality of being a widowed father, Matt found solace and purpose in his daughter. Madeline, he realized, was a living testament to the love he and Liz shared.
“In the face of unimaginable heartbreak, it was the echo of Liz’s love in their daughter that gave Matt the strength to carry on.”
Matt took to community parenting forums for support and advice. Over the years, he shielded Madeline from the public eye while keeping Liz’s memory alive through stories and photographs.
On the tenth anniversary of her birth and her mother’s passing, Maddy found herself surrounded by love, thanks to the tireless efforts of her father, family and friends. Matt keeps Liz’s memory alive, answering Maddy’s innocent questions about her mother with as much truth and love as he can muster.
“Love is not limited to happy moments; it’s also about finding light in the darkest corners. Matt and Maddy’s trip proves it.
This heartbreaking yet inspiring story highlights the enduring power of love – in joy, in heartbreak, and most importantly, in perseverance in the face of life’s most trying challenges.
