Wilder Fest Origins
March 12th, 2020, Wilder Haven was born with some special gifts and uniqueness of her own. Beating all odds, she lived for 24 days. Although she was only here less than a month, her story has affected people in all areas of our life and opened our eyes to such an important area of hospitals. The first two weeks of her life were spent with some amazing nurses in the NICU at Seton in Austin, TX. While she was there, the entire NICU staff were incredibly selfless and supportive. They helped us get through each difficult test result and celebrated every milestone Wilder made. They showered us with love the moment she was born and gave Wilder the tools to live for those 24 days. One out of every eight babies have to spend time in the NICU. A NICU nurse has touched the lives of at least 1 out of every 8 people. To honor the gift they gave us, we want to be able to support NICU nurses and show that their sacrifices have not gone unnoticed. That is the reason 100% of the profits will be going directly to NICU nurses.
Want to learn more about Wilder's story?
To gain more insight into Wilder's story, simply click the link below to listen to the Made4More podcast episode with Hayden and Makenna Newsom (Wilders Parents), where we discuss her life and our family's journey in greater depth.
Want to get more involved?
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Donate
If you're looking to make a donation to Wilder Fest, there are a number of ways you can contribute. For cash donations, you can easily Venmo us at @WilderFest or go to the donations tab and process the product as you would a ticket. If you prefer to donate non-cash items, simply send us an email at info@wilderfest.org or message below with more information about what you're interested in donating and we'll be in touch. We can provide recipts and tax documents as needed.
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Volunteer
If you're able to donate your time, we would be thrilled to have you join our team of volunteers at Wilder Fest. There are a variety of positions and tasks that we will need assistance with, so there's sure to be an opportunity perfect for you. Just send us an email at info@wilderfest.org to get started!
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Honor a NICU nurse
Have you been touched by the kindness and care of a NICU nurse who made an everlasting impact on your life and story? We would be honored to hear your experience! Please send us an email at info@wilderfest.org with your story, your nurse's name, and the hospital in the contact space below. We will be selecting nurses throughout the year to spotlight and can't wait to hear your stories!
Meet Wilder's Primary Nurse!
Sarah Sommers has been a registered nurse for 6 years, with the first 5 years being in the NICU. Sarah is married and has two beautiful girls, with a third baby girl on the way. One of Sarah’s favorite things to do is spend time and go on adventures with her little family.
“I remember the day I met baby Wilder very well. I knew almost immediately that I wanted to be her primary nurse. It was a joy and privilege to be her primary nurse while also getting to know Makenna and Hayden. Watching them care for their baby girl was an inspiration and I’m so glad my path crossed with sweet Wilder and her loving parents.” - Sarah
Meet Wilder's First Nurse!
Whitney Prange has been a nurse for eight years with all of her experience being in NICU. Currently she is a NICU Transport Nurse and is in school to become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. She lives in Austin with her partner Drew and they are expecting their first baby this June. Whitney enjoys traveling, cooking, finding ways to be creative and spending time with the people she loves! When I got my dream job in the NICU I thought I knew what to expect, but I wasn't ready for how these tiny humans were going to impact me. Really, the NICU changes everyone who experiences it. It's a place where believing in miracles is serious business. Because we know they are real. Whether you stay for two days or 200, you won't come out the same person you walked in as. You look at your problems differently. You realize the innate will to live is an incredibly powerful force. Yet, there is no way to fully understand what's going on behind the doors of the NICU until you live it. People assume NICU nurses do typical baby care things, but in reality it's so much more. We advocate, teach, collaborate, celebrate, and sometimes we sit in our cars after a shift and cry for our patients. I love my job and I feel so thankful to be able to care for families like the Newsom's. I was lucky enough to be at Wilder's birthday party the day she was born. I knew she was special from the start. I have been inspired by Hayden and Makenna since I met them and it is an honor to be a part of Wilder's story!