In April of 2009, Dr. Michael Wiggins, a dear friend to the FRIENDS WAY community, died unexpectedly on a family trip in Colorado. Two of his children were competing in a national snowboarding competition, and being the active, hands-on and supportive parents that they are, Michael and Doreen were there to cheer on and have fun with their kids. Michael was not a sit-on-the-sidelines kind of dad… he was always right in the midst and modeled the importance of living fully. He embraced life and inspired those around him to do the same.

For close to a decade, Doreen and Michael have been part of the FRIENDS WAY family. They’ve helped us create our vision and expand our mission as the needs of grieving children, teens and families have become more apparent. Together, they dedicated themselves to the growth of our organization. While Mike and Doreen have contributed to the financial sustainability of FRIENDS WAY, they have also provided creativity, abundant energy and an unwavering dedication and hopefulness to our programs. Most importantly, they have done so together, as true partners.