Austin's Sunshine Foundation

07/10/2026

I’m considering hosting an online event for our grief community about the healing and transformational power of writing through grief.
Writing can become more than words on a page. It can become a safe place to release what we have been carrying, honor what still lives in our hearts, and give language to the pain that often feels too heavy to speak out loud.
In this event, we would talk about how writing can help transform grief, why it can bring clarity and comfort, and how to use writing in a way that brings peace instead of reopening pain.
This would be a gentle, guided space for anyone who feels like there are thoughts, emotions, memories, or love still waiting to be expressed.
P.S. You don’t need to be a writer. You just need to be willing to begin.
Would this be something you would be interested in attending?

07/04/2026

As we celebrate this Fourth of July, I pray everyone has a joyful, memorable, and safe holiday.

If you're drinking, please don't get behind the wheel. Call a friend. Call a family member. Call a cab or rideshare. Pride is never worth a life.

Those rides may be free, but funerals are not. The cost of a single decision reaches far beyond a price tag—it leaves empty chairs, shattered hearts, and families forever changed.

Please make the choice that ensures everyone gets home safely tonight. Someone is waiting for you. Someone loves you.

Happy Independence Day. Celebrate responsibly, and protect the lives of those sharing the road with you. 🇺🇸

06/21/2026

Today, we honor the bereaved fathers.

The dads who carry love that did not end when their child left this earth. The dads who wake up on Father’s Day with a heart full of memories, moments, silence, and a name they still long to hear spoken.

Bereaved fathers are still fathers.

Their child’s absence does not erase their love. Their grief does not make them weak. Their quietness does not mean they are okay. So often, dads are expected to be strong, to hold everyone else up, to keep going, to grieve privately, and to carry pain in silence. But today, and every day, they deserve space to be seen, heard, loved, and honored.

Say their child’s name.
Share a memory.
Ask them about their son or daughter.
Let them know their fatherhood still matters.

There is a sacred kind of love in a bereaved father’s heart. It is the love that keeps showing up, even when there are no new pictures to take, no new milestones to celebrate, and no arms to wrap around the child they miss so deeply.

To every grieving dad today: we see you. We honor you. We remember with you. Your child is not forgotten. Your love is still alive. Your fatherhood is still beautiful, still meaningful, and still worthy of being recognized.

Happy Father’s Day to the dads holding children in their hearts instead of their arms. You are loved, your child is remembered, and your grief deserves tenderness today

03/13/2026

I’m still taking this in. An amazing creator reached out and wrote this song and created this beautiful video for my social media, and I truly don’t have the words to express how much it means to me.

To be seen in this way… to have grief, love, healing, and remembrance captured so gently and beautifully… is such a gift. This touched my heart deeply.

Thank you for using your gift to create something so meaningful. In a world where grief can feel so lonely, this was a reminder that love still speaks, remembrance still matters, and healing can be held with tenderness.

I’m beyond grateful for the time, heart, and creativity that went into this. Please go show this creator some love. What they created is more than a song and video — it’s a message for every hurting heart that needs to know they are not alone. 🤍

02/04/2026

ASKING FOR YOU TO HELP..
IF YOU CAN PLEASE DO THE SURVEY AND HELP MAKE W FM 917 IN GODLEY AS SAFER ROAD TO TRAVEL...

I was given a link tonight regarding the roads in N TX. TXDot is asking for the public's opinion on roads. I was able to put the road Austin passed on as a problem even got to make it on the map. At the end of the survey I was able to put in my words suggestions.

I am going to attach the link and ask for you to join me in making W FM 917 in GODLEY TX a better road traveled. It has already lost 2 young men in a matter of 3 years and that is too many lives not including accidents I haven't researched on this strip.
I ask that you rally with us to make this road a safer place.

THE ADDRESS IS 6737 W FM 917 GODLEY TX

I will put here what I wrote and the link.

https://engagetxdot.mysocialpinpoint.com/fort-worth-district-transportation-master-plan-needs-assessment?fbclid=IwdGRjcAPvhj9jbGNrA--GPGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHpLrn16y9y8lQ9rFRT9eluqRhr0xuc0WVHMiZHvK29cK7mUidkz0VUrJR3W9_aem_5fmLCJ6YKCEAJBiUXpKL3A

This stretch contains a no-passing zone, yet the centerline and lane markings fade significantly—often within a year. At night, the striping becomes difficult to see or not visible, especially approaching the blind hill and curves. This reduced visibility increases the risk of drivers misjudging distance, drifting across lanes, or attempting unsafe passes.

To improve safety and prevent further tragedies, I respectfully request that your department evaluate and implement the following:
Re-stripe the roadway with durable, highly visible reflective materials (such as reflective thermoplastic or equivalent) to ensure the markings remain visible at night and in poor conditions.
Add rumble strips or other audible/tactile warning features approaching the blind hill/curves to alert drivers and discourage crossing into the oncoming lane.
Consider additional visibility and deterrent measures such as raised reflective pavement markers, enhanced “No Passing Zone” signage, and/or other proven countermeasures appropriate for this roadway.

This is not a minor concern. There have been two lives lost on this stretch since August 12, 2022, when my son was killed.

Additionally, a child was killed in 2025 at the same location where my son lost his life. These are devastating losses, and I strongly believe improved roadway markings and warning features could reduce the likelihood of future fatal crashes.

Please consider this letter a request for a formal safety assessment and prompt corrective action. I am asking that this area be treated as a priority before another family suffers an avoidable loss.

Thank you for your time and attention. I would appreciate confirmation that this concern has been received, along with information on next steps and an anticipated timeframe for evaluation.

Help shape the future of transportation in the Fort Worth District.

11/11/2025

🧡 Friendsgiving for Grieving Parents 🧡

Hosted by Austin’s Sunshine Foundation

The holidays can be hard when your heart is carrying the weight of loss.
This season, we want to remind you — you don’t have to do grief alone.

Join us for a warm, welcoming Friendsgiving created for bereaved parents — moms and dads who understand what it means to love deeply and miss endlessly.

Let’s come together to share a meal, stories, and community — because together, we find light even in the heaviest seasons.

🕯️ Date: Saturday, November 15th, 2025
🕕 Time: 6 PM – 9 PM
📍 RSVP for location & details: [email protected]

💛 Sponsored by: Austin’s Sunshine Foundation

✨ We’re building community for grieving parents — a place where love, loss, and healing can sit at the same table.
Come as you are. You are not alone.

10/29/2025

CALLING ALL BEREAVED PARENTS

🌟 Holiday Survival for Bereaved Parents 🌟

4-Week Support Class
Begins Wednesday, October 29th, 2025

💔 The holidays can feel like emotional landmines — songs, traditions, and gatherings that remind you of everything that’s missing.
But you don’t have to go through it alone.
Join a safe, sacred space created specifically for parents who have lost a child, where we’ll walk through this season together — gently, intentionally, and with compassion.

🕯 What You’ll Experience:
✨ Emotional tools to navigate the holidays with grace and honesty
✨ Ways to honor your child’s memory during the season
✨ Gentle strategies to manage triggers and loneliness
✨ Support from others who truly understand this journey

🗓 Starts: Wednesday, October 29th, 2025
🕙 Two Time Slots: 10:00 AM CST or 7:00 PM CST (via Zoom)
💵 Cost: $60 for all 4 weeks
🎟 Limited Seats Available

📍 Hosted by: Paula Hill — Bereaved Mom & Certified Grief Coach
📧 Register: [email protected]

🌙 You can survive the holidays — one breath, one memory, one moment at a time.
You are not alone. 💛

10/29/2025

Austin’s Sunshine Foundation Advocates for Road Safety Improvements on FM 917 in Godley, Texas

Foundation’s Efforts Lead to New Roadway Safety Measures and Ongoing Advocacy in Honor of Austin McFadden

Godley, Texas — October 29, 2025 — Austin’s Sunshine Foundation is proud to announce several significant safety improvements along FM 917 in Godley, Texas — a stretch of road that has long posed visibility and safety concerns for drivers. Through the Foundation’s dedicated advocacy efforts, the road has recently been relined for improved visibility, and new signage warning “HILL BLOCKS VIEW” has been installed in both eastbound and westbound lanes.

These measures mark an important step toward reducing accidents and saving lives along this roadway. In addition, Austin’s Sunshine Foundation has officially adopted FM 917 in honor of Austin Shane-Patrick McFadden, whose life and legacy continue to inspire meaningful change within the community.

“Every life matters, and every improvement that prevents another tragedy is a step in the right direction,” said Paula Hill, Founder and Executive Director of Austin’s Sunshine Foundation. “Our mission is to turn loss into action — to honor Austin’s life by making our roads safer for everyone who travels them.”

The Foundation remains committed to working alongside local officials, TxDOT, and community partners to pursue additional road safety initiatives and awareness campaigns.

Austin’s Sunshine Foundation encourages community members to join in its advocacy efforts, volunteer, or contribute to ongoing safety and support programs for bereaved families.

For more information or to get involved, visit www.austinssunshine.org
or contact [email protected]

About Austin’s Sunshine Foundation
Austin’s Sunshine Foundation was founded in loving memory of Austin Shane-Patrick McFadden, whose life was tragically cut short in a motorcycle accident in August 2022. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting bereaved parents, raising awareness about road safety, and creating programs that turn grief into purpose. Through advocacy, community outreach, and compassionate support, the Foundation seeks to bring light and healing to others navigating life after loss.

10/20/2025

💔 For Bereaved Moms Who’ve Lost Their Only Child 💔

You don’t have to face the holidays alone.

The holidays can stir deep emotions — the empty chair, the silence where laughter used to be, the ache that never quite fades.
This gentle 7-week grief support series is created just for you — mothers walking through the impossible pain of child loss, learning how to breathe, honor, and find light through the season together.

🌙 What You’ll Receive:
✨ A compassionate community of mothers who understand your journey
✨ Emotional and spiritual tools to help you navigate the holidays
✨ Guided support to create new traditions with love and grace
✨ A sacred space to speak your child’s name and feel truly seen

🕯️ Begins Monday, October 27th, 2025 – 7:00 PM CST (via Zoom)
💵 $75 for 7 weeks | 🎟️ Limited Time Offer – Limited Seats Available!
📧 Register: [email protected]

💫 Hosted by: Paula Hill, Bereaved Mom & Certified Grief Coach

🕊️ Come join a community where love, grief, and healing coexist.
You are not alone — your child’s light still shines through you. 💛