Fly High Madison Hope!
Madison Hope Welch, 18, passed away on Friday, November 21, 2014, after a motor vehicle accident while returning home from a duck hunting trip. Maddie was a 2014 graduate of Zachary High School and a student at Baton Rouge Community College. She was outgoing, smart, independent, talented, sassy, and full of life.
Maddie loved hunting, fishing, painting, writing, antiques, thrifting, and spending time outdoors on our family farm. She helped at Y-Farms Kennels, loved training dogs with her family, and spent time with her two rescue dogs, Sookie and Sandy, who were like her children.
She had a strong work ethic and was a true “go getter.” Maddie graduated high school early, worked during the day, attended college at night, and also worked weekends with Heirloom Catering. She was driven, creative, athletic, and always in a hurry to experience life.
More than anything, Maddie loved her family and friends. She had a giving heart, and even in her passing, she gave others a chance at life through organ donation. That gift will forever honor the caring spirit she carried with her every day.
I gave Madison the middle name “Hope” before she was born because I felt God telling me to have hope — hope for a new beginning, hope for a new day, and hope for the future. Madison always knew why she carried that name, and even now, her life reminds us to always Have Hope.
Our family is brokenhearted and devastated by Maddie’s death. We continue to honor her memory, share her story, and keep her light alive in every way we can.
May God Bless you & Keep you,
Jen, Madison Hope’s Mom
Always Have Hope…
On November 19, 2014, Maddie was on her way home from a duck hunting trip in Kaplan, Louisiana, when her accident happened near Breaux Bridge on I-10. An 18-wheeler forced her Toyota pickup off the interstate and into the center median. Although there were witnesses, the driver did not stop and has never been found.
Madison should not have survived her injuries at the scene, but she held on until the next morning. At only 15 years old, when she received her learner’s permit, she had already chosen to become an organ donor. In the end, Maddie gave life and hope to others, saving four lives and touching countless more.
To know Maddie was to love Maddie. She had no enemies and could talk to anyone about anything. She was the girl who could make a room brighter just by walking in, quote old movies, make you laugh with the newest song, and leave paint, stories, and memories scattered across the farm for us to cherish forever.
Madison was a giver in every sense of the word. She gave through her kindness, her humor, her creativity, her work ethic, and finally through the gift of life. Her legacy is one we try to live by every day: give all you can, love deeply, and always, always Have Hope.
Forever In Our Hearts
Madison Hope Welch
Always loved. Always remembered. Always Have Hope.
From Her Sister
A Sister, A Best Friend, A Role Model
“Goodbyes are like a closed book, just because the book is closed, doesn’t mean that the story is over.”
I loved my sister with all my heart and I would have done anything for her. Maddie made everyone just so happy by just being around her and I remember always wanting to grow up being just like her. Madison marched through life triumphantly and if you told her she could not do something, it made her put forth 110% more effort. Madison was my role model and always will be. We may not have gotten along all the time, but when we did, they were the best moments of my life.
Maddie and I did not say I love you every day, but we did those little things to show our gratitude towards one another. I loved my sister unconditionally and I do believe that she loved me and everyone else twice as much.
Together, Maddie and I became the M&M’s and to lose her so quickly and suddenly felt like I lost my other half. Madison taught me to be tough and stay strong through anything that might come my way, just like she was. Although Maddie is gone for awhile, I know we will be reunited one day. On that day, we will rejoice and never leave each other again.
Genesis 27:3 – “Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow and go out to the field and hunt game for me.”
Maddie and I both loved this bible verse and both of us loved to hunt. We were both fortunate enough and thankful to be given these opportunities to spend time with each other outdoors. However, there was always an unspoken opposition between us two on who could harvest the biggest doe, or bag the biggest racked buck. Sadly, we never got to see who got the bigger deer; I know she will be there right beside me on all my hunts, guiding my way and sharing in the experiences.
She was truly a great sister, friend, and person. I am glad I got to spend 13 years with her.
I love you,
McKenzie
From Her Brother
Tough as Nails and the Heart of a Lion
Smart, beautiful, and talented are three words that describe my sister. She wasn’t just your normal teenage girl; she was a gift from God. There won’t be a day that goes by that I won’t think about her or miss her. We were so close when we were little and even though we have grown up and have had our own lives it feels as if I have lost my best friend.
Madison was the person that could walk into a room full of people and put a smile on everyone’s face. She was always motivated and stayed pushing forward to achieve her goals in life! Strong willed and tough, she never let anyone put her down. She wasn’t scared to tell you how she felt, or how she felt about you. I can remember being 8 years old watching the Wizard of Oz and being so scared I would sleep with her. We had so many great memories together that I could go on for days telling you all about it.
What made her so special was her passion to give. She gave to people during her time on this earth and when her time was done she still kept giving.
I don’t know why God took her so soon, but he always has a plan. She inspired me and honestly I looked up to her.
Her loyalty, hard work and dedication is what inspired everyone. Tough as nails, and the heart of a lion, when something would knock at Madison’s door, she was the person who had the mentality to kick in the door and introduce herself.
My heart will always hurt for her and honestly I sit back and ask God why she had to go to soon, but life is not a simple game. It is filled with obstacles and hard times. As for all of our family and Madison’s friends, we have a mountain to climb. Even though we are upset, and mourning for her, we have to keep climbing this mountain.
When we fall, we have to fall on our backs, because if we can look up, we can get up. We have to HAVE HOPE!!! As this is what Madison would want from us.
I now have a new guardian angel who will be with me till leave this earth. I can almost picture her painting my house in heaven for me. Even though she did not like giving me hugs, when I see her again the first thing I am going to do is grab her up and squeeze her. I love you Madison to the moon and back.
Love,
Your brother Jeffrey
From Her Sister
A Sister, A Best Friend, A Role Model
“Goodbyes are like a closed book, just because the book is closed, doesn’t mean that the story is over.”
I loved my sister with all my heart and I would have done anything for her. Maddie made everyone just so happy by just being around her and I remember always wanting to grow up being just like her. Madison marched through life triumphantly and if you told her she could not do something, it made her put forth 110% more effort. Madison was my role model and always will be. We may not have gotten along all the time, but when we did, they were the best moments of my life.
Maddie and I did not say I love you every day, but we did those little things to show our gratitude towards one another. I loved my sister unconditionally and I do believe that she loved me and everyone else twice as much.
Together, Maddie and I became the M&M’s and to lose her so quickly and suddenly felt like I lost my other half. Madison taught me to be tough and stay strong through anything that might come my way, just like she was. Although Maddie is gone for awhile, I know we will be reunited one day. On that day, we will rejoice and never leave each other again.
Genesis 27:3 – “Now then, please take your gear, your quiver and your bow and go out to the field and hunt game for me.”
Maddie and I both loved this bible verse and both of us loved to hunt. We were both fortunate enough and thankful to be given these opportunities to spend time with each other outdoors. However, there was always an unspoken opposition between us two on who could harvest the biggest doe, or bag the biggest racked buck. Sadly, we never got to see who got the bigger deer; I know she will be there right beside me on all my hunts, guiding my way and sharing in the experiences.
She was truly a great sister, friend, and person. I am glad I got to spend 13 years with her.
I love you,
McKenzie
From Her Brother
Tough as Nails and the Heart of a Lion
Smart, beautiful, and talented are three words that describe my sister. She wasn’t just your normal teenage girl; she was a gift from God. There won’t be a day that goes by that I won’t think about her or miss her. We were so close when we were little and even though we have grown up and have had our own lives it feels as if I have lost my best friend.
Madison was the person that could walk into a room full of people and put a smile on everyone’s face. She was always motivated and stayed pushing forward to achieve her goals in life! Strong willed and tough, she never let anyone put her down. She wasn’t scared to tell you how she felt, or how she felt about you. I can remember being 8 years old watching the Wizard of Oz and being so scared I would sleep with her. We had so many great memories together that I could go on for days telling you all about it.
What made her so special was her passion to give. She gave to people during her time on this earth and when her time was done she still kept giving.
I don’t know why God took her so soon, but he always has a plan. She inspired me and honestly I looked up to her.
Her loyalty, hard work and dedication is what inspired everyone. Tough as nails, and the heart of a lion, when something would knock at Madison’s door, she was the person who had the mentality to kick in the door and introduce herself.
My heart will always hurt for her and honestly I sit back and ask God why she had to go to soon, but life is not a simple game. It is filled with obstacles and hard times. As for all of our family and Madison’s friends, we have a mountain to climb. Even though we are upset, and mourning for her, we have to keep climbing this mountain.
When we fall, we have to fall on our backs, because if we can look up, we can get up. We have to HAVE HOPE!!! As this is what Madison would want from us.
I now have a new guardian angel who will be with me till leave this earth. I can almost picture her painting my house in heaven for me. Even though she did not like giving me hugs, when I see her again the first thing I am going to do is grab her up and squeeze her. I love you Madison to the moon and back.
Love,
Your brother Jeffrey