Meet Scott Mauldin. He and his 10-year-old daughter, Padgett, came to The WARM Place in November 2021 after the death of his wife and Padgett’s mother, Krista Mauldin, in July of that same year. They attended grief support groups for over two years, ultimately deciding they were ready to close in April 2024.
Scott and Padgett participated in The WARM Place’s Race 2 Remember Them (R2RT) in 2023 and 2024 to honor Krista’s memory, and Scott created teams each year with astounding results. In 2023, he organized a team in memory of Krista, raising over $3,700. And then he kept it going in 2024, with his team raising over $5,200! Read on for more about his story and how he did it!
What brought you to The WARM Place?
After my wife died, I was at a loss for resources and didn’t know where to look, but The WARM Place came up several times from people who wanted to offer support for me and for Padgett. I called right away, and I’m so glad I did.
What was your experience like at The WARM Place?
The first month or two after the death, there’s an overwhelming amount of people helping, but over time that support goes away. That’s where The WARM Place came in and was so comforting for both of us. And until you’re with people who have gone through the same thing you’re going through, you don’t even realize how much you needed that.
For my daughter, being with other kids with similar experiences really helped her. She also loved her adult facilitators who led the groups. Having women for her to talk to, a positive female influence, was invaluable for her.
I got just as much out of my group with other parents. Lots of ideas and suggestions came from my group. I learned that grief hits everyone at different times, so you need to meet people where they are. I was better able to help Padgett deal with her grief because I had a better understanding of how our grief was totally different. I learned how to be more understanding of the grieving process.
Let’s talk about the Race 2 Remember Them. You’ve participated for the last two years and brought a lot of support. What’s your recipe for success?
The most important thing when you reach out to family members and friends is to believe in the benefit The WARM Place provides for kids and parents, and I absolutely do! I felt confident that all the money raised goes to a cause that deserves it, and this is personal to me. The most important thing for parents and kids going forward after the death is their mental health, and The WARM Place helps provide that support.
The race ended up being a fun way for me to reconnect with people I hadn’t seen in a long time. There were people coming together who had known Krista, and others who didn’t know her but wanted to support Padgett and me. Last year, between 30-40 of us came out. It was a beautiful thing to see how many people came together, and how much impact Krista’s life had on so many people, even though she never got to understand what an impact she had made.
Any other advice for families looking to get involved in R2RT?
Don’t let the fact that’s it’s a 5K be intimidating! You can do the 1 mile and walk or just go and hang out. Especially when you’re grieving, just being outside is a help! It’s all about remembering why The WARM Place exists and being supportive of each other.
*Cover Photo: R2RT 2023 – Team “Running for Krista. Scott is #388 with his daughter Padgett in the grey shirt next to him.
