March 9, 2022—just 79 days after my wife and I endured the unimaginable loss of our son, Maxwell Seraphim, when he was stillborn on December 20, 2021. Seventy-nine days that were the hardest of my life, yet, at the same time, the most transformative.
Losing Max made me realize just how fragile life is. It reinforced that nothing should ever be taken for granted and that gratitude should be the foundation of each day. No one expects to lose their child before ever having the chance to truly meet them. But when the unthinkable happens, it forces you to see life differently.
Despite the pain, Max has had a profound effect on my life. Those 79 days after his passing weren’t just about grief—they were about transformation. It was during those days that I found a strength I never knew existed, a drive that I never thought possible. It was in those 79 days that I began to reshape my life in a way I never could have imagined.
Because in those days, I realized something powerful: Max is my why. Max is the fire inside me.
The Meaning Behind “Inspired By Fire”
In the days following our loss, as my wife and I prepared for something no parent should ever have to—naming a child we would never get to bring home—I realized we hadn’t chosen a middle name for him. It’s not something you ever think about when thrust into such a heartbreaking situation.
As I searched for Hebrew boy names, one stood out immediately: Seraphim. According to the source I found, Seraphim meant fiery. Something about that name resonated deep within me. I knew it was meant to be his. I had felt him kick once inside my wife’s belly—just once—but it was strong, full of life. The name Seraphim felt like it captured that moment in a way words never could.
At the time, I didn’t fully understand the significance of that name. But I would soon learn just how much it would shape my future.
A Fiery Angel, A Lasting Legacy
On December 31, 2021, we held a funeral for Max. As we stood in that moment of profound loss, the person presiding over the service spoke about the meaning of Seraphim. It didn’t just mean fiery. It meant fiery angel.
That realization changed something within me.
I had no idea at the time how this moment would shape my life moving forward. But looking back, I can see it clearly now: my son became my fire. The fire that drives me forward. The fire that reminds me why I must keep going, why I must push myself to be better every single day.
That fire is what Inspired By Fire is all about.
It is about honoring Max. About carrying his legacy forward. About using the pain of loss to fuel growth, resilience, and purpose.
And it’s about finding that fire within yourself—the thing that pushes you, drives you, and keeps you moving forward no matter what.
Because when you find that fire, you must never let it go out.
From Loss to Legacy 
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