Be Thankful For Your Healthy Children

I've been a part of the Ocean of Love Billboard Radiothon for...jeez, at least a dozen years. I started as a member of the Hawk Flight Crew way back in the day, and progressed to being one of the on-air "support guys" for Andy, when Producer Steve from Free Beer & Hot Wings would come out. I took over middays on the Hawk a few years ago, and I look forward to the Ocean of Love Billboard Radiothon every year.

I know it's a cliche to say that "everything changes when you have a kid"...but everything really did change.

Billboard Week is always emotional. We hear stories from families who have children who are battling cancer, teenagers to preteens to even younger. It's heart-breaking to hear about these children spending so much of their lives in the hospital, it's heart-breaking to hear the stress the family goes through...and the biggest heart-breaker is when we talk to the family of a child who lost their battle. The Ocean of Love "Angels" are always in our hearts.

I remember the Billboard in 2016, which took place just about a month and a half before my first daughter was born. My wife and I were nervous first-time parents, but I knew that if we ever got that horrible news, we would be able to rely on Ocean of Love to be there.

Now that my second daughter is about to turn five months old (time flies), it brings even more emotion to the Billboard Radiothon.

There are plenty of families that come out year after year, plenty of kids that I've seen grow up over the years, and it's such a wonderful thing to see a kid beat cancer and live a full life.

If you have a child who is healthy, be thankful, be grateful, and please, make a donation in their name. We'll be at the Target/Lowe's/Petco plaza on Hooper Avenue in Toms River this week, so stop by!