Beyond the Box
Beyond the Box with Monica Kelsey is a powerful podcast dedicated to raising awareness, educating the public, and advocating for change in the fight against infant abandonment. Hosted by Monica Kelsey, Founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, this podcast dives deep into real stories, expert insights, and the life-saving impact of Safe Haven laws and baby box programs across the country.
Each episode features compelling conversations with firefighters, legal experts, healthcare professionals, policymakers, adoptive families, and even mothers who have used Safe Haven Baby Boxes. Together, they shed light on the challenges, victories, and ongoing efforts to provide safe, legal, and anonymous surrender options for parents in crisis.
From heartwarming rescue stories to policy discussions shaping the future, Beyond the Box is a must-listen for anyone passionate about saving lives and supporting vulnerable infants.
Beyond the Box
Episode #11---The Man Behind 21 Baby Boxes
The brotherhood of firefighters represents a special bond forged through shared danger, commitment to service, and unwavering support for one another. This episode of Beyond the Box pulls back the curtain on this powerful connection through the story of Josh Garrison—a firefighter, plumber, and unsung hero of the Safe Haven Baby Boxes movement.
Host Monica Kelsey welcomes Abby Garrison, Josh's widow, and Larry, a fellow firefighter, to share memories of the man who personally installed 21 baby boxes across America before his untimely passing at age 39. Their conversation weaves through humorous firehouse anecdotes, the groundbreaking installation of the very first baby box in U.S. history, and the profound impact Josh made without seeking recognition or reward.
We witness the intersection of personal tragedy and hope when Monica recounts how Josh was present at the Woodburn Fire Department when the first baby was surrendered—providing a ray of light during a dark time as the department was preparing for the funeral of their chief's two children. The emotional weight of this full-circle moment underscores why the work of Safe Haven Baby Boxes matters so profoundly.
The conversation takes a poignant turn as Abby shares the story of Josh's sudden hemorrhagic stroke and how their family has navigated grief while honoring his legacy. Three years after his passing, Josh's problem-solving spirit lives on through the phrase "What would Josh do?"—a testament to his lasting impact on everyone who knew him.
From firefighter camaraderie to the nationwide expansion of Safe Haven Baby Boxes to 23 states, this episode celebrates how ordinary heroes create extraordinary change. Listen now to discover how one man's willingness to serve continues to save lives long after his own was cut short.
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this is monica kelsey, from beyond the box. We are in the studio today. We are in town today, which is nice on a friday afternoon, but we are here with abby garrison and larryts, who I have known for a long time, and I'm going to let you guys hear why they're so special to me. So welcome to the podcast, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you.
Speaker 2:You're welcome. So for those people who don't know, you just give me a 60 second. Why is Abby Garrison so important to Monica Kelsey?
Speaker 3:Well, I am the widow of Josh Garrison and Josh Garrison was on the fire department with you and you guys became very close and he was um a huge asset to kind of getting the baby boxes rolled out and was, you know, and I was, you know, completely on board and supportive and excited to watch this unroll and happen and I love that. You know, josh got to be a huge part of it.
Speaker 2:I do too. And, larry, why are you so important to Monica Kelsey?
Speaker 1:Oh well, like you said, knowing each other for years, some of our first moments in the ambulance and fire truck together.
Speaker 2:We aren't going to talk about those moments, though, larry, because there are some moments that we should never say out loud.
Speaker 1:Yeah, some that were traumatizing, but no, being on the fire department with Josh and you, both of you guys, personalities matched just the constant wanting to give back, give everything for nothing, essentially.
Speaker 2:I think that's the brotherhood though.
Speaker 1:Yeah. That's the brotherhood of the fire department, for sure.
Speaker 2:It's like we've got each other's backs, but we're all type A personality too. Oh yeah, it's like you aren't going to find a type B personality on the fire department because they just don't exist. You know, it's like we're all. We'll do anything for you by golly. We're going to tell you like it is you know and you're going to follow our lead.
Speaker 1:It's going to be our way.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's going to be our way.
Speaker 1:So I think also, like with that, you know seeing, um, you know how the baby boxes took off, and being able to be behind somebody that was so strong in doing it made it very easy for the type A personalities to get behind the organization.
Speaker 2:You really had no choice, larry. You really didn't. I mean, I pretty much drug the entire fire department behind me like we're doing this.
Speaker 1:We're doing this.
Speaker 2:Do you remember the first time that we I don't know if you were at that meeting, but that I approached? You know, chief, about putting a box in his firehouse?
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 2:This had never been done before in American history.
Speaker 1:And here we are saying, hey, Wheezy, can we put a box in? And he's like a what?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the conversation wentika's gonna get her way, so we might as well just do it. I do believe that conversation was had yeah, we did have that conversation, but I think there's a man, there's a couple times where he's like why did we do this? Like you know, through the fight, because we have had a fight, yeah we've had a big fight with with woodburn keeping this box and but we won yeah we did so.
Speaker 2:Uh, let's start Um, back when I was on the fire department with Josh and with Larry and the baby boxes come up. Do you ever remember the first conversation you had with Josh on helping with the boxes or? Um, you know him and I discussing it.
Speaker 3:I think it like I don't really cause. I mean I mean I was raising, you know, we had small children, right, smaller children. And I mean I know, like josh, if somebody came to him and they were like I want to do this, he was like okay, let's do it, you know, and like you could always see his wheels turning like okay, let's, let's figure this out. Yeah.
Speaker 1:You know, even if he didn't know how to he was going to learn.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and he problem solved. So I think it was exciting and fun to watch his kind of creativity come out and really like get to be a part of something that was bigger, because that's just who he's always been is. You know how can I help the next person? He?
Speaker 2:really was. Yeah, he really was, but he also had a very big sense of humor, oh yeah, he had a very big sense of humor and I remember a time when it was very windy. It was very, very windy and I'm going to tell this story and millions of people are going to listen to this podcast and say well, what the hell were they thinking? But we always jumped out of bed. When the pager went off in the middle of the night, we always jumped out of bed and we ran down to the fire station.
Speaker 2:I always had my pile of clothes at the end of the bed. Pile of clothes, my pants, and I had them layered. I mean, men didn't really have to layer their clothes. Women have to layer our clothes because we know what needs to go on under the shirt, you know. And so, uh, I jumped out of bed, I had my sweatpants on and I thought I'm just going to grab my clothes and run. And I don't remember exactly what it was maybe an unresponsive party or something but I remember it was at an Amish house. Why I remember that, I don't know, but it was. It was an Amish individual's house that we were going to, and I jumped up, got in the vehicle, got down to the station.
Speaker 2:One thing that the guys always knew about me is I'm getting dressed in the truck. Yeah, like, that's just how it was. I, I'm getting dressed in the truck. And so I start putting my clothes on Right, and I realized that I'm missing the most important part of my outfit, that for a woman, like, like, you have to have a bra. Yeah, you, because there, when you go running, it's going to look really, really bad. You know, like, if this is one of those running moments, I'm in trouble.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm in trouble.
Speaker 2:And so I'm putting on my clothes and Garrison is just driving and I'm like don't look, you know, you know just the normal conversations you have in the ambulance. And that's when I discovered that I couldn't find my bra and I was like throwing all my stuff around, going where is it? Like I know I had it in my pile at home and and I remember josh just laughing like this is epic. Yeah, like this is gonna be awesome and um and uh, I didn't find my bra on that that run.
Speaker 1:He gave me his jacket, though he gave me his jacket and then, and then these fools wait a second.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but hang on you fools didn't even tell me I had the shirt on backwards. So I had my shirt on backwards with no bra, right, no bra and my shirt on backwards. They didn't tell me, they just kept letting me, you know. But I had his jacket on.
Speaker 2:I didn't zip it up because literally it touched, I was gonna split yeah yeah, I was gonna say how like you were, probably like tripping over it it was literally, it was like to the floor, but I didn't zip it because it was so baggy, you know, and it couldn't work, and so I just had it unzipped, just so, if I needed to, I could like shove it around the girls you know, and and take off running.
Speaker 2:And uh, and so we're on our way back from this run. We're on our way back from this run and I remember talking about this with Josh and I was like I don't know where my brawl is. I really don't know where it's at. I know I grabbed it, I know it's somewhere, but I don't know where it's at. And um, and he goes, wouldn't it be epic If it was strapped across the front of engine two when we got down to the station, because you know there's a bunch of guys that show up after us, you know, and they're all going, you know and I'm like, oh my gosh, if that really happens, like I'm never going to live this down like ever.
Speaker 2:And um, funny story, Uh, my, uh bra, cause it was super windy, and when it gets windy here it's just like windy, and my the chief lives two doors down from me and my bra was in his yard.
Speaker 3:That's what I thought, like that's what I remember. Too down for me, and my bra was in his yard.
Speaker 2:that's what I thought like that's what I remember too. Garrison laughed his ass off like oh my gosh, that story I think, was like the highlight um of our relationship for a really long time because it was so funny yeah, it was literally like well, this is who I am, this is but he at least gave me his jacket
Speaker 1:yes, you know that was pretty. Yeah, it was. I mean, other than the fact that somebody needed 9-1-1, but seeing monica, but he at least gave me his jacket. Yes, you know, that was pretty.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, other than the fact that somebody needed nine, one one but seeing Monica, it was Josh's coat.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, oh my gosh to die for.
Speaker 3:Okay, okay, so I do remember him telling that story too, and I remember him being like just take your time, it's okay, you have enough time to put your bra on. You have enough time to do that stuff, and I think that was one of the best things I loved about Josh, too, is that like he was never rushed, like he was just always like so stoic and calm and just like took the reins and just did it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it was like, until he got behind the seat of a fire truck.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've heard, I've heard from other people, I never really got to witness that, which is okay with me in life he loved to drive yes, yes he did um.
Speaker 2:So, uh, let's go back then to back to 2016. Oh my gosh, this has been a long. It doesn't seem like it's been that long since we installed the first box in america. No and um and.
Speaker 2:I remember, I remember talking about this at the station and and Garrison was like I know this, I know this, I know this, let's do this. Let's see, I mean, it was like he was so impactful on the installation of the baby box I had no idea what I was doing. I was like I, I just know we're cutting a hole inside of a firehouse, like that. I know we have to do that. And and he was like, well, we got to look out for this and this and this. And then I'm like, well, you want to do it?
Speaker 2:You know it was like you can sit here and tell me all this stuff, but why don't you just do it for me? And he's like, oh yeah, I'll do it for you. And so, um, we went down there on my birthday, you know, on my my birthday, um, and installed the very first baby box in America, and it took us four hours, I think it seemed like a long time, but like we were just chipping away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, but he, he actually, before he even made the cut in the side of the wall, he gave me the blade and he says you really should do this. Yeah, and, and so I, I made a cut and then he gave me a hammer and I took a couple hammer. You know some of that. I was not very good at it but, um, but he handed me something back then and, um, and I've held it, I've held onto it for so long and it actually fell off my desk one time and cracked. Oh no, but this is one of the bricks out of the woodburn box and, if you notice, we all signed it at the time and the date which was my birthday and josh's initials right under mine.
Speaker 2:There's larry's, there's jarjo's I don't know mb because mariah's on this side, but who's who?
Speaker 1:I don't remember who mb was oh, I'm gonna have to think about that one because that's Ryan. Yeah, ryan Gerardo. Yeah, that's a G, ryan Gerardo.
Speaker 2:But then I don't know. I was thinking of that earlier.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definite blast from the past. I mean just the fact that I remembered Waldo's middle name.
Speaker 2:That's funny. That is funny. So we installed the very first box in Woodburn and it's thanks to Josh. You know, josh was like the hero of the night putting that thing in because he was so dirty when he was done. I mean, we have photos of him.
Speaker 2:He was a hot mess, he was literally a hot mess, but he he loved every minute of it. He absolutely loved every minute of it. Um, and then, after the very first baby box went in, you know, we put a second box in in in Michigan city and they did their own box and um.
Speaker 2:Through the next year and a half we kind of stopped installing boxes because I was dealing with a tragedy in our own families. But then, when it was time to start installing again, of course I wanted Josh to help me make this provider guide, this, this, uh, this, this guide for them to install these boxes. And we actually sat down at the fire station one day and he was writing down how far off the ground it should be, you know, and he was just putting all the specs, what you should use, what kind of screws and stuff that these locations should be using, and um. And then he said, hey, if you ever need any help, just let me know. Yeah, I'll be happy to help you. Yeah, that was his demise, right there with the baby boxes. That's what sucked him in, because he knew I was going to call him.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah.
Speaker 2:Realize how much you know. And so, uh, and we counted how many boxes he installed and he replaced one and installed 20. So he impacted 21 boxes for the baby box foundation. That's incredible, I know it's like where one. Where did he have the time? Because he's always doing something Well his wife took care of a lot of stuff. You were a saint for him, good job. Abby.
Speaker 3:Good job, abby, thank you Well, and I think that's why I mean, I definitely I knew that this was a big deal. This was, you know, very important and you know, I wanted to be a support to it, because I was like I don't want to be somebody that like had pushed back from that and cause I was like, no, this needs to happen, and it was better to think of all those little things that you don't think about, like the measurements, anything like that, Like, yeah, there's Josh.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it really was. And uh, then we got a baby, yeah, and we got a baby. And we got a baby. And I'll tell you the first time we got a baby at woodburn fire and we remember there was a tragedy happening in woodburn, I mean a huge tragedy where our fire chief lost two of his kids and we were down at the fire station getting ready for this funeral. It was almost like the diet the, the dark, the darkness just showed light.
Speaker 2:Like like, like the dark day that we were having, we finally seen some good you know out of a tragedy that happened in our community and, um, I was handed this infant in the parking lot and then I walked up to the bay door because I didn't have my key to get in and I knocked on the window and guess who? The first person that walked up and opened the door was Josh Garrison.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And he, he, he constantly was telling I thought it was a, I thought you had a puppy.
Speaker 2:I thought you had a puppy and, uh, I said, no, I had a baby. And he's like we just didn't believe it and and and so for him to to be there for that first baby to be surrendered, um, at that very moment he was standing there, cause when I look through the window I could see him standing there. And you know we all stood by the sink and we all bullshitted, you know we just all that's where we all stood. And for that baby to come at that moment and that day, it it couldn't have come at a better time no for us to have a little bit of light.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you remember? Did he call you or how did you find out there was a baby?
Speaker 3:we were at home getting ready for the funeral and I remember josh left and I was like josh, we, we have to go Just to get ready for Josh. Yeah, and I'm pretty sure he met us down at the church for the funeral and I remember him kind of like whispering to me what had happened and I was like what? Because we were like there was standing room only for the funeral, so we were like standing out in the hallway listening and I remember him just kind of like I could just see like him trying to focus on the funeral, but also like all that other stuff that did just happen. You know the baby, you know all of that and it was just wild.
Speaker 2:It was. It was very wild. Were you down at the station that morning?
Speaker 1:No, I was at home.
Speaker 2:You were at home and you got.
Speaker 1:You heard the call heard it and you know at first you're're lost. You check yourself, yeah it was like, okay, I think I just heard what I heard. And then it was you know, hey, you know, the ambulance has a crew, we're good like somebody still needed to stick around for all the uh events of that day. So my heart was with you guys, knowing what you were going through.
Speaker 1:Um, but the sense of pride that you know, knowing we didn't have to go search a field or search a dumpster for that child on what was already a tragic day brought brought light to it.
Speaker 2:It really did bring light to it that day, yeah, and and so he got to experience a lot you know the um the success of the baby boxes, but I don't think he ever envisioned where we would be today.
Speaker 3:I don't think I think he did. You think so, oh, yeah, I mean, I think Josh was very good about seeing into the future, like Larry and I were just talking about a different situation yesterday and I was like Josh, josh could see how things were going to go the way, like different things were going to head, like he just knew, he was just very like, like that was like an instinct of his Like, and I think that's why he wanted to be a part of it, cause I think he definitely knew that this was, this was going to take off and it was going to be something that you know was going to. You know, save babies, save babies. You know, and I, yeah, I mean I remember when you know, when it first went live too, like how many times like he would run down to the fire station because, you know, people were curious, and I remember him just every, every time, like he was out that door.
Speaker 2:Well, there was one time in the middle of the night that the box went off and I don't know if you he he told you about this. I don't know if he told you about this, but it went off in the middle of the night. I did not go down there I think I was at a town or something and he called me because he was like hey, the box went off, it's fine, but there's a car in the driveway with Ohio tags and I was like just leave, just leave. I don't know what's going on, but don't go up to the car, no, Just leave. Yeah, that box is doing exactly what it's designed to do, but he understood the importance of not being there. You know, if this is what this mother had chosen you know yeah.
Speaker 2:The next day we found out that a baby was surrendered at St Joe Hospital. Yeah, and so we really think that she was at our fire station looking at that box.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because I remember that story too, because I remember Josh, just I think it drove him crazy, because he just was like I don't know what's going to happen.
Speaker 1:And Josh's instinct was I want to help.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I want to help.
Speaker 1:If I went to the car would I be helping, and he had to make that decision to walk away.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, and then he just started installing boxes throughout, you know well, throughout Indiana. I think he did a couple in Ohio.
Speaker 3:I don't remember, but but yeah, I have the list.
Speaker 2:He went all the way down to, I think, evansville to install and, um, yeah, he, he did some some stuff for us because there was one time and I I taught I said this at his funeral there was one time where we sent him down to install a box before the city.
Speaker 3:Okay, yes, I do remember that.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes and uh uh, it wasn't my fault?
Speaker 2:I, it was the, you know the people who were the donors, the people who wanted this box in, set it all up. Yeah, like, yeah, go, you know. And um, and then Monday we find out the mayor calls us, just lit, like he is mad, and we're like what, you, we were told to go install this box. And so I asked garrison. I was like did they say, I mean, the fire department was there when you installed this box, right? And he's like yeah, they were there, they were fine. Man, I just walked in, told them who I was, what I was doing. They said there, it is, you know, blah, blah, blah. I just walked in, told them who I was, what I was doing. They said there, it is Blah, blah, blah. And I'm like okay, and I'm like, uh, we weren't supposed to install the box. He goes that's your problem.
Speaker 3:I just did what I was told he goes.
Speaker 2:You told me to go down there and install it.
Speaker 3:I installed it and the rest is on you and I'm like you, ass, all right, yeah, well, and about right, yeah well, and I think that that was something else too with josh, I mean, I think you guys both can attest to that that. You know it's it's easier to ask for forgiveness, yeah, so he's like I'm just gonna do it, yeah well, he had no idea.
Speaker 2:Well and honest to gosh, I didn't have any idea either. I didn't know that they did not know. You know, because we were just. That was one of the first mistakes we made when we started listening to the donors. The donors were trying to to control everything and we had to literally pull back. It was because of that situation where we let it get too far. Yeah, because we probably, we probably could have been sued, you know, for installing cutting a hole in a firehouse with no permission yeah, and it's like the things that you learn along the way too.
Speaker 3:You're like okay, now we know, don't do that again yes, don't do that again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh, wow, gosh. So many memories with josh, so many good memories that I, you know I don't, I don't have a single bad one, I really don't.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're looking away, larry, like there's a few I mean, yeah, it's like abby said it, or you guys said it's a brotherhood. So I mean there was, there was times where you didn't agree with something, but it was always, at the end of the day, you knew you had each other's back.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, so you know you could say what you wanted and it left as quick as it come out, yeah Well, and we did many runs together, many, runs together and I cherish those runs. I really do, because we had a really good time. Yeah, we really do, cause we had a really good time, you know we really made a good, really good team.
Speaker 3:We did. And I always like one thing that like just always, just I was always in awe because we would never we were not all the time, but there was some, there was a good handful of times where, like we would be together, like coming back from a date or you know, even with the kids we'd be doing something, and he'd come up on a rack he's the first one on a rack, like I think there was one time we were coming home from um, like I don't remember what we were doing, but he, literally before anybody else in the car saw it, he stopped and we're like, what are you doing? And there was an unconscious party in the middle of the road. It was a motorcycle accident that had been hit on or like it was like head on with a buggy and I just watched him just do his thing. I watched him, you know, get the helicopter to land in the middle of the street and I'm just like, and he just calm the whole entire time he didn't see him rush, he didn't see him doing that stuff.
Speaker 1:He just was always calm about that stuff and it was just like he was always the right place at the right time or like the worst, the worst time, the wrong yeah.
Speaker 3:But I mean there's pictures of you know, of him like literally holding somebody steady and the you know, like he was in the backseat of a car holding this woman you know this, you know stabilize her neck or whatever, and it was like he was the first one there and he, I mean it was so many times that he was, yeah, I mean he. Just he did so much. He was a giver, yes, he was he really was a giver.
Speaker 2:He was not a taker, he was a giver.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and he never. And.
Speaker 2:I think that's you know, he never wanted recognition or you know, putting in the baby boxes, it was like he didn't, no, he didn't want to profit, he didn't want the recognition.
Speaker 3:It was like this is not about me, this is, you know, about saving lives and saving babies, and I think that's why we all loved him so much, too is because he didn't want. He didn't want any of that limelight. As we are talking about him, you know, like gushing over him, but he deserved it. You know he deserves the recognition for all the hard work that he did to help get this off.
Speaker 2:Yeah, off the ground. He does, he does. So I have to ask the inevitable question, which is probably the hardest question that I have to ask, but I know our viewers are going to want to know how did Josh pass?
Speaker 3:Josh had a hemorrhagic stroke. So he um, it was very kind of, he was working um, him and our daughter, they were painting at a house and came home and just had a headache and just wasn't feeling right and went, went to lay down and it was really kind of crazy how fast it happened. It was a really bad headache. Then it was speech and stumbling and then I mean, it was kind of it went downhill so fast. So, yeah, he was on life support for two weeks in the hospital and wanted to give him time to see if his brain would try to recover. But because of where the stroke happened, it was in his brainstem, which controls everything. So you know, as the days went on of trying to learn what was happening with his body, like we knew he could hear, but you know, so, like you know, if I was talking to him you could see the heartbeat change and stuff like that. Um, so I mean, but it was, yeah, I mean it was, it was tough, it was really tough. But, yeah, making that selfless call to be like, okay, you did, you did all you could, you fought, you fought.
Speaker 3:And I remember, like, cause he was an organ donor and I remember when we went to take him off a life sport, our daughter was like all right, dad, it's your time to shine. You need to give, time to give. But I mean he was still young so I mean, of course he didn't go, but he was able to donate. You know a lot of tissue and you know his corneas and stuff like that, so he was still able to give a lot of gifts. You know.
Speaker 3:You know, again, in such a dark spot, you know it's like okay, well, he still can help, even after he's gone. So and I think that that's you know, we definitely try to educate when it comes to strokes and stuff like that. And really looking for looking at the signs, because I didn't, I didn't know him like I should have and I don't know if Josh knew the signs, because I think that if maybe he did, you know, maybe we could have gotten in. But I can't let my mind go there, all those what ifs, and I'm like because I also know, josh, that if he couldn't have been a hundred percent, you know it's like he was never going in.
Speaker 2:I mean he. I don't think he would have complained at all.
Speaker 3:No.
Speaker 2:Anything that was happening to him.
Speaker 3:No. Just the fact that he came home and laid down yeah For Josh, yeah, he never stopped, yeah, and I like, and we always knew like, okay, he has a headache, you know, like, and that's also a big warning sign too for high blood pressure Cause that was a big indicator of why he had a stroke too. So you know, it's definitely at the forefront of our minds of you know, taking care of ourselves and going to the doctor.
Speaker 2:So Well, I see you educate a lot now. Yes, on the strokes. Yes, I do so, which I think is just you taking a tragedy and turning it into something good by trying to educate others to watch out for the signs that you didn't see?
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, cause it happened really quick and we did find out too that he had like, with all the MRI scans and stuff like that, that he had been having like multiple mini strokes. That you know, we didn't I didn't see the signs, you know, but I know.
Speaker 2:so he was 39 39, 39 years old so young, I know so young and young kids and yeah how are the?
Speaker 3:kids, I mean in the grand scheme of things, you know they're, they're, they're. I mean they're still sassy, they still have a lot of Josh in them. Like I literally call our daughter Josh a lot, I'm like okay, she just graduated.
Speaker 3:She just graduated and our oldest um he is, you know, went through all the fire training and just that's what he wants to do and he also thinks a lot like his dad too, and you know. So, if we do need, you know, any plumbing issues or anything like that, I'm like, hey, you got. I'm like you know what we're doing? No, yeah. And then our, our youngest um, he, he has a heart like Josh where he looks out for his mama, wants to make sure she's okay, Because, I mean, Josh was, you know, he loved me very, very dearly and I can see that, especially our youngest, where he wants to make sure I'm okay, he's taking over the reins yeah, you know, wants to make sure I'm okay, he's taking over the reins, yeah, and I don't like to say that, but it's also like they're such a good mix of their dad that it always makes me feel good because I'm like I still get to see him a little bit, A little bit of Josh, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh gosh, I miss him.
Speaker 3:So do we A lot, a lot, a lot.
Speaker 2:I bet, so do we A lot, a lot, a lot I bet.
Speaker 3:So one thing we always I don't know if you guys know, but we always especially in my line of work be like oh my gosh, you know we have this incident, or like you know something's wrong with the daycare or whatever. And we'd always be like, well, did you call Josh? So we had this running joke where what would Josh do? And we still say it yeah, I'm guilty, yeah, what would Josh do?
Speaker 1:Yeah, At the baseball game and I told her I was like there was a problem I had with my furnace. One time Josh did plumbing. I called him and he's like let's figure it out. He came over and he taught me. And now he came over and he taught me. And now it probably happens. I'm going to say once a year, even though I have a service company come in and you know they say everything's fine, that started the season of winter and yet I still have at least one time during the winter I have to do what josh taught me and every single time it furnace works fine yeah never have another issue the rest of the year, but that one thing that Josh taught me.
Speaker 1:You know, my wife said it last night. Like every time something comes up, we're like call Josh. What would Josh do?
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 1:And it's funny that we didn't even really know that the family still does that, we do Well and the fact that his company was called rescue plumber.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I come and fix what your husband breaks. Yeah, you know that was like his tagline. Yeah, like that's just we repair, we repair what your husband fixed. Because it's true, yeah, he was. He was at our house doing plumbing and I think he changed out our water heater one time, unplugged our toilet. He put pennies under my toilet.
Speaker 1:He said oh, yeah, it was rocking.
Speaker 2:he's like give me a penny. And I gave him a penny. We replaced our toilets a couple of years ago and I found those damn pennies under there, do you?
Speaker 1:have them for good luck. Oh, I still have them. Yeah, of course I do, yeah Of course. I do Save everything.
Speaker 3:Well, and I think that was so cool too, josh it was never, nothing was ever about money. You know, it wasn't like I can make a buck doing something. It was like, how can I help, how can I teach? So like, yeah, like he would walk, you know so many of the different fire, you know all the firefighters, or you know just people that would call, like even people that like we're literally just need to hire a plumber, you know would find out what the issue was and you'd be like, okay, we'll try this or this. Cause it was like it was more important to teach that skill and that's what he did with our children as well is that, you know, our oldest always went, you know, went with Josh a lot. So, josh, you know, so our oldest definitely has a lot of the same like he has all those skills, like he could build his own house, because of how many different things Josh taught him along the way and cause it was more important to teach than you know just to bill you and get some money.
Speaker 2:So I you can tell, just by meeting him you could tell that it was all about. It was never about the money.
Speaker 3:It was never about the money.
Speaker 2:I think that's why I just appreciated him was never about the money. No, never, never about the money. I think that's why I I just appreciated him so much is because I didn't have any money at the beginning yeah, we're literally like in negatives in our bank account for safe haven baby boxes and he was like, yeah, what do you need? Yeah you know this was there, so, um, he passes away and you get a call last september I did.
Speaker 3:I was sitting on my couch and I was like, did monica butt die on me? Like, is that still a thing? I was like why is monica calling me? And then I was like hello. She was like what are you doing? I was like sitting here, she's like we got a baby. And I was like what yeah, yeah, I had a baby. We got a baby. I was. I was like well, what?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, got a baby, we got a baby. Uh, I was just as shocked as you were but I, I, I said I got to call Abby because I used to call Josh. Yeah, I used to send him the photos and call him. And I was like I got to call Abby and tell her and so, um, I've had the privilege of meeting this little guy. Oh, yay, and I think very soon you may be able to meet him as well, and it's just a beautiful story.
Speaker 2:And it's really come full circle for him. Well, I appreciate you coming and talking to us a little bit about Josh and why he was so important to Safe Haven Baby Boxes and why he literally helped us launch this multi-state company that's across this nation. We're launching in Montana on Wednesday. It's like we're in 23 States now and I'm going to be honest, I never envisioned it being this big. I just didn't.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I had a dream that we would save some babies in Indiana, but we are, you know, way beyond what I ever envisioned. We would be.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I'm glad Josh was a dreamer, though you know, me too. I am because he he was the light in a lot of times where you know you're like, ah, dang it, you know, and he's like, yeah, let's just do it. You know, let's figure it out. Yeah, I loved that about him.
Speaker 3:I think that was definitely something that he yeah, let's just do it, let's start.
Speaker 1:Tear a wall apart.
Speaker 3:Yeah, exactly Like. How else are we going to figure this out, right?
Speaker 2:My last question is how are you? How are you doing?
Speaker 3:I feel like I'm finally probably in the last six, nine months.
Speaker 3:I feel like we kind of are leveling out, like definitely, kind.
Speaker 3:I feel like we're kind of leveling out, like definitely, kind of feeling like we're finding our grounding again, like when you lose a main player in your family, like everybody kind of has to pick up some extra slack.
Speaker 3:So, and I think that having such an amazing village, having a fire department, having, um, you know, the community just wrapped us in their arms and kind of really helped carry us along, you know, you know the death of, you know, a dad, you know, and you know a husband and a plumber and a firefighter and a friend and a son, and it's yeah, it, it rocks, rocks your world really like flips you upside down. And it's like, you know, when you get knocked under a giant wave, you have to try to figure a way out. Like nothing you can't figure out your which way's up when you're like under the water, like that and like just I think really having a community, that really I mean they helped us so much, especially the fire department, like we couldn't have gotten a lot of things done without them, you know, helping us move, you know, multiple times and you know, yeah, I mean it's been a really long road, but dang, we did it.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you, Monica, if you need a hug, this girl can hug, and you will feel that it's almost like I gave Josh the nickname Huggy Bear. And last night I got a hug from Abby and I told her I was like, oh my God, I forgot, you are the world's best hugger. You can just feel that energy. And I told her I was like, oh my God, I forgot, you are the world's best hugger. You can just feel that that energy, and I appreciate it.
Speaker 3:Thank you. Well, and I think that's one thing that I miss most about Josh is cause it's it's his hugs, so I don't. So I'm like, if I'm going to give a hug, I got to give a hug.
Speaker 2:I sent a. I was at one of the ball games downtown a couple of weeks ago and I sent Larry a picture of a guy that looked just like him. I'm like I sent it to him and I'm like oh my gosh, this is Garrison, like Holy smokes. I sent it and he says Holy smokes, it's hugging. Yeah, you're going to have to show me later I will. I'll have to show you, but maybe I don't live around here.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, I mean it's funny because I mean he was a big guy, bald, with a beard, and that's pretty common in the Midwest.
Speaker 1:The dog bods are coming back.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I know so. It's pretty common in the Midwest. But every once in a while you get one and the guy will be standing the same, or and you're like whoa, that kind of threw me for a loop.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I bet that that would be hard to get past sometimes when you're really missing him.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but sometimes it's like, okay, let me have my, I'm going to take my moment.
Speaker 2:But sometimes you need to have those moments and you then you kind of like has it been four years, three, three years? It was three years in March. Three years in March, gosh, doesn't seem that long ago.
Speaker 3:No, it really doesn't. It seems like ages, but it also feels like yesterday, don't?
Speaker 2:well, thank you. Thank you for coming yeah, thank you thank you, larry yes, ma'am, thanks for having us for, uh, just reminding me of what a, what a good guy garrison was I know sometimes I just, you just need to be reminded yeah days go by and you kind of forget. Talking about him just brings a smile to my face.
Speaker 3:I know. It does he was just an amazing guy. Yeah, I mean, I like to be able to keep talking about him and sharing his story and what his true passions were.
Speaker 2:We appreciate him. We appreciate you, thank you. This is Monica Kelsey from Beyond the Box in the studio. We will be back in two weeks, on Tuesday, for another podcast. God bless you guys. We'll see you guys next time.