Matt and Liz Logelin were high school sweethearts that seemed like the perfect couple. They made their relationship work long distance, and when they were finally reunited they both got great jobs and were ready to get married. They were even more excited when Liz announced she was pregnant with their first child. The happiness, unfortunately, came to a quick end when an unexpected event changed everything forever. Matt had a hunch to look at the couple’s pregnancy blog and he could never have anticipated what would happen next.
Fairy-Tale Beginnings
Matt and Liz are both from Minnetonka, Minnesota. They met by chance at a gas station and the sparks began to fly right away! They were soon inseparable.
Fairy Tale Beginnings
Enduring Long Distances
When the duo graduated high school, they had to face the music they would be attending colleges in different parts of the country. Matt would attend the University of Minnesota and Liz would go to California. Despite the distance, their love endured and their relationship lasted.
Enduring Long Distances
Tackling Academia
After getting his B.A., Matt went for a master’s program in Chicago and then was decided to pursue a Ph.D. when another life-changing decision had to be made.
Tackling Academia
Matters of the Heart
After all the time apart, Matt didn’t want to live apart from Liz anymore. In 2005 he moved to L.A. to be close to her. The two decided to travel the world and Matt proposed to Liz in Nepal.
Matters Of The Heart
Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them
They were married in front of family and friends on August 13, 2005. They were so excited to spend the rest of their lives together. Matt was working as a project manager at Yahoo! and Liz was working as a financial executive at Disney. Both were enjoying much professional success. They also were making big moves in their personal lives. They bought a house together!
Their Whole Lives Ahead Of Them
And Baby Makes Three
2 years into their marriage, they were expecting their first child and could not have been more excited about it. Little did they know something unexpected would turn their joy into misery.
And Baby Makes Three
Launching a Blog
As most of their friends and family were in Minnesota, the pair decided to start a pregnancy blog to more easily communicate important updates. They regularly posted photos and updates about the pregnancy.
Launching A Blog
Not the Easiest Pregnancy
Sadly, Liz’s pregnancy was not easy. She had severe morning sickness and doctors eventually ordered her to rest for her safety. Matt took care of Liz who was usually very healthy. She was hospitalized and ordered to rest more by doctors. Matt continued to update the blog but he could have never imagined what he soon would have to write about.
Not The Easiest Pregnancy
Rushed to the Delivery Room
Seven weeks before the due date, Liz found herself in the delivery room. Her pregnancy was classified as high-risk. Liz had to undergo an emergency C-section operation meaning the baby was born about two months prematurely. Not too long after that, Liz and Matt’s lives changed forever.
Rushed To The Delivery Room
A Brief Look
The surgery was successful. The duo welcomed their daughter Madeline into the world. Since she was born so prematurely, she was rushed off to the intensive care unit.
A Brief Look
Waiting to Hold the Little One
Liz was still very weak from the birth but was so eager to see her daughter. Finally, she was told it was time.
Waiting To Hold The Little One
Liz Faints
As she practiced walking, something shocking happened. She said, “I feel lightheaded,” and fainted.
Liz Fainted
A Terrifying Blur
Matt knew there was something seriously wrong with her. He called doctors over immediately.
Doctor Emergency
All At Once
“All of a sudden it hit me,” Matt told The Guardian in an interview. “She was going to die, today, here in this hospital. And she was never going to hold her baby.”
A Bittersweet Realization1
Summoning The Family
Matt tried his best to get together both of their extended families. By the time the family arrived, it was too late.
Summoning The Family
27 Hours After Birth
Liz was never actually able to hold her daughter. Just 27 hours after giving birth, she unfortunately died. She had a blood clot that traveled to her lungs causing a pulmonary embolism. She was only 30 at the time of death.
27 Hours After Birth
Heartbreak
Matt certainly experienced a roller coaster of emotions that day. He went from being a very excited new father to a devastated widower. He thought he would be uploading beautiful family pictures to the blog, but instead, the next post was a depressing one. The entry was entitled “Liz” and he wrote how on the day of his daughters birth, his world fell apart.
Heartbreak
A Bittersweet Realization
This day turned Matt’s world upside down forever. How could he go on let alone raise a daughter alone?
A Terrifying Blur1
Single Parenting
“I always thought I’d be a good parent alongside Liz,” Matt told The Guardian. “Doing it alone had never occurred to me.”
Single Parenting
Back To The Blog
Now Matt was faced with updating the blog. He thought he would be posting beautiful, cute pictures of the entire family on the blog, but instead, he had to write the most depressing post of his life. The entry was entitled “Liz.”
Back To The Blog
Intense Emotions
Matt obviously experienced a ton of grief. He kept thinking how terrible it is that his wife would never hold their newborn baby girl.
Intense Emotions
Agonizing Reminders
Matt sank into a deep depression in the weeks following Liz’s death. He struggled to do basic tasks and to speak with anyone who reminded him of her.
Agonizing Reminders
Seriously Struggling
Matt very much struggled in the few weeks after Madeline was born. On every Tuesday, when the clock reached 3.11pm (the time Liz had died), he had memories of her. He felt at times these memories were torturing him.
Struggling With Depression
The Battle Continues
Matt couldn’t be at home. Everything seemed to remind him of Liz. Whenever he went out, neighbors and strangers would ask where the mom is. This tore Matt apart.
The Battle Continues
Thoughts Of Suicide
Matt was totally lost in grief. At times he thought of taking his own life.
Thoughts Of Suicide
She Gave Him Hope
Despite having some suicidal thoughts, Matt was never serious about taking his own life. His daughter gave him a reason to go on.
She Gave Him Hope
Getting Motivation Back
While Matt couldn’t imagine raising his daughter without Liz, leaving his daughter to raise herself was even more unimaginable. He said, “The thought of our child as an orphan turned my stomach, and I hated myself for even thinking something so selfish.”
Getting Motivation Back
Coping with Reality
Despite his depression, he had a new daughter that needed him. He did his best to raise Maddy without exposing his emotions and act as a “normal” father.
Coping With Reality
Sad and Lonely
Matt was still struggling. Whenever he saw a new parent, he would fall apart. He also felt extremely lonely and sad. He needed something to help him get through this very difficult time.
Sad And Lonely
Parenting Forum Turns It Around
To help with his depression and loneliness, Matt decided to take to the internet. He posted to a parenting forum ran by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Online Parenting Forum
Online Parenting Forum Provided Support
In the online parenting forum, Matt stated, “I’m a proud new father … doing it on my own (my wife passed away the day after our baby was born). It’s been a tough two weeks.”
Minnesota Star Tribune
“Without Liz, But Not Alone”
After Matt’s post, the forum facilitators contacted him asking if he would be interested in sharing his story on the front page of the Minnesota Star Tribune. Matt agreed. The article was published with the title, “Without Liz, but not alone.”
Without Liz But Not Alone
Newspaper, Newspaper
It was during Liz’s second memorial in Minneapolis that the story ran. Matt faced rows of newspapers when he landed at the airport for the service featuring himself and Madeline on the front cover.
Newspaper Stand
Back To The Blog
The article led to a ton of attention being drawn to Matt’s blog. Many people were interested in his story and traffic soared. Matt stated in an interview he found it comforting but bizarre that he and Madeline were recognized by strangers who had seen photographs and knew their story.
Blog
Extreme Highs and Lows
He changed the pregnancy blog into a personal parenting blog and believed the writing process helped with his pain. His honest writing helped him deal with the grief to some extent. He found the support of other parents to be very helpful.
Extreme Highs And Lows
A Transformative Process
It was one of Matt’s main goals to raise Madeline healthy and happily. They had some amazing memories together. Matt again wanted to change the blog, and it had a large effect on his small family.
A Transformative Process
An Overwhelming Response
The blog was renamed to “Matt, Liz and Madeline: Life and Death, All in a 27-Hour Period.” It was now meant to act as a virtual scrapbook for Madeline when she grew up. The blog also basically became an internet phenomenon. Matt was getting a ton of positive responses and advice and it gained a huge following. At one point there were between 1 and 1.5 million visitors per month.
An Overwhelming Response
Easing the Pain
The blog was very helpful for Matt finding support, getting advice, and encouraging him to move on with his life in a positive way. He did not expect to have so many followers and people hoping for the best for him and Maddy. Sometimes even complete strangers who read his blog would send items to help him through the hard time.
Easing The Pain
Unimaginable Care
Some gifts Matt received were toys, clothing, diaper bags, formula dividers, and soon there were so many gifts it filled up most of his home. Eventually, he set up a charity organization in honor of his wife with some of his most avid readers.
Unimaginable Care
The Liz Logelin Foundation
The Liz Longelin Foundation organizes events for charity in her honor. One event raised over $4,400 and was supposed to go to Matt and Maddy but Matt had another idea in mind. He decided he wanted to donate the funds to widows and widowers he met through his blog.
The Liz Logelin Foundation
Still Going Strong!
As of 2010, the foundation had given out $20,000 to grieving families around the country. The foundation is so successful that now it has an annual Walk, Run, and Hop 5K benefit.
Still Going Strong
A Love Letter
As time continued, Madeline resembled Liz more and more. Matt realized how much the blog helped him and wanted to share it with his daughter.
A Love Letter
The Year Milestone
Matt didn’t think he would be running the blog forever. When he took it over he thought it would be over in a year. But Matt’s blog became a rallying point for widows, widowers, and other parents in need of advice.
The Year Milestone
Going Full Circle
Matt decided to leave his job in 2009 and take Maddy to India where he planned to write a memoir. This place was special to Matt because Liz and Matt went there together a year after they were married.
Going Full Circle
His Memoir
He very much enjoyed the time with his infant daughter and he was able to complete his memoir entitled Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love. Naturally, it became a New York Times bestseller.
Two Kisses For Maddy
Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love
Matthew Logelin’s memoir “Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss and Love,” which discusses on his marriage, the death of his wife and his experiences of raising his daughter as a single parent.
Books Content
Where Does The Title Come From?
The title was inspired by Matt giving his daughter exactly 2 kisses before she goes to sleep each night. How cute!
Two Kisses
He Just Keeps Giving!
Matt Logelin decided to donate 7% of the book’s profits to The Liz Logelin Foundation. 8 was Liz’s lucky number.
He Just Keeps Giving
Another Chance at Love
The same year the book was published, he started to date Brooke Gullikson, a volunteer at the Liz Foundation. Brooke said she knew immediately Matt was the one.
Another Chance At Love
The Word Got Out
Brooke moved from Minnesota to L.A. to be with Matt and Maddy. He felt the need to write about this on the blog and stated how Brooke brought so much happiness into their lives. Not everyone was nice about this change of circumstance. Some were very critical of Matt’s decision to date and live with Brooke.
The Word Got Out
Going Their Separate Ways
Things started to fizzle between Brooke and Matt. They decided to separate.
Going Their Separate Ways
A New Romance?
Matt took a much-needed break from dating after things didn’t work out with Brooke. There were rumors he was dating Lizzie Molyneux, a writer for Bob’s Burgers.
A New Romance?
A Secret Ceremony
Matt and Lizzie tried to keep their relationship private. Fans, of course, were very interested and discovered a wedding website for the duo. They had a secret wedding in Palm Springs, California in February 2018.
A Secret Ceremony
On-Screen Adaptation
In 2012 the Lifetime network approached Matt about turning his memoir into a movie. Marta Kaufman and Denise DiNovi were supposed to be executive producers but did not go forward.
On Screen Adaptation
Channing Tatum
In 2016 rumors began circulating that Channing Tatum would accept a role in a Hollywood film adaptation of the book and wanted to be the executive producer.
Channing Tatum
The Movie is Set to Go!
The movie is set to go! Channing Tatum will produce the film with partner Peter Kiernan through Free Association. Dana Stevens has been hired to write the screenplay. Her other work includes “Safe Haven,” “For Love of the Game” and “City Of Angels.”
Movie Is Set To Go
Channing’s Daughter
Channing Tatum is accustomed to the father-daughter relationship, as he has one of his own! He has a daughter named Everly. She was born to Channing and his wife Jenna in 2013.
Channings Daughter
The Long Process
While what Matt went through was incredibly painful, the path that it lead him on helped himself as well as others. He taught a valuable lesson about picking yourself up after a tragedy and turning a bad situation into a more acceptable one. Besides writing, he occasionally gives speeches to help other parents and widowers.
The Long Process
Camp Widow
In addition to working with the foundation he created, Matt Logelin has helped many people who have lost a loved one. In 2011, he spoke at Camp Window. It is a weekend learning retreat for those who have lost a spouse. He also led a workshop.
Camp Widow
Help Just Keeps Coming
Besides Camp Widow, he also spoke at the National Conference on Widowhood in 2009, appeared on Voice of America’s Healing the Grieving Heart radio show, and given a number of magazine interviews. He doesn’t do this for the fame, he just wants to use his experience and knowledge to help those in need.
Public Speaking
Maddy Today
So what about Maddy? She recently turned 10 years old! Despite this being, not only her birthday but the day when her mother Liz tragically died 10 years ago, her father and extended family surrounded her with extra love and tried to enjoy the day. Over the years Maddy had grown to know her mother through the stories and pictures from the blog. What an amazing project that had such a huge impact on so many people.
Maddy Today