
27 Jan Meet William: One of Our Dedicated SUDC Ambassadors
Meet William Carrington: A Heartfelt Voice in Our SUDC Ambassador Program.
My daughter Maria was the epitome of a daddy’s girl, and our bond was incredibly special. She loved watching and playing sports with me, especially basketball and shared my passion for books and animals. I’ll never forget coming home late from a business trip to find a note from Maria, asking me to wake her up because she missed me so much. That night, I kissed her forehead, and she briefly woke up with a smile before falling back asleep.
In 2002, Maria passed away in her sleep at just 9 years old. My wife, Patty, and I were blessed to have her younger sister and to welcome a son three months later, but losing Maria was devastating. I couldn’t fathom how I would make it through another year, let alone 22 years, watching my other children grow healthy and happy. In those early days, I wasn’t sure I’d survive the next week.
Within a few months, I joined a local support group for grieving parents. Hearing their stories – mostly about cancer and accidents – and sharing our own brought an odd sense of comfort. We discussed death, its aftermath, and navigating coroners, doctors, and the friends who surprised or disappointed us. Through this group, we formed a close bond with parents who also lost their son to SUDC.
These connections became a lifeline for me. SUDC is uniquely disorienting—sudden, unexpected, and difficult to understand—making peer connections invaluable. While we don’t have all the answers, we can listen, share, and offer understanding.
I’m deeply grateful to the SUDC Foundation for allowing me to support newly bereaved parents. Sometimes I offer insights, but mostly, I listen to their stories of love and loss. These moments reconnect me to Maria in ways that are harder to access after so many years. I’m truly honored to serve in this role and to keep Maria’s memory alive through these connections.
We’d also like to extend our gratitude to Will and Patty for hosting their second Family Gathering. These gatherings provide invaluable opportunities for families to connect, share their stories, and support one another. To learn more about hosting a Family Gathering, please email: [email protected].