MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
by Patti Carpenter

The first thing you discover about Bill Maddick (after you notice how tall he is), is that he has a heart of gold.  And even though that heart that beats rhythmically within his chest is a hand-me-down, there’s nothing second-hand about his willing spirit and desire to help wherever he can.  Time and again, when a need is voiced, Bill is there.  He ushers at Mile Hi on a regular basis, plans YESS group activities (most recently are the astronomy events), and volunteered to cook and serve at the Ronald McDonald house.  Additionally, he is one of the founding members of the YESS group (Bill, where have you been when I’ve been trying to dig up the YESS Group history???).

Bill shares that he was raised in rural Michigan farmland and restlessly attended college at MI Tech University before he decided to join the Navy and see the world.  He had many experiences which included becoming a deep sea diver and an engineman, saw many Asian countries (including Viet Nam), and made a little extra money (combat pay) for working with explosives before finally being honorably discharged.  Bill isn’t just a one-note song – he’s also had experience in a wide variety of occupations: gunsmithing, maintenance, manufacturing, stock broker, senatorial aide, online trader, and his latest endeavor – professional photography.  It doesn’t seem like there’s much he hasn’t done.

Woven between these jobs were a series of health challenges (that steam rolled into financial challenges) that Bill has successfully conquered.  He’s overcome degenerative bone disease, dysbaric osteonecrosis (a diver’s disease), had a hip replacement, another hip replacement, and cardiomyopathy by receiving a heart transplant.  But he never said, “UNCLE” and gave up.  A lot of this positive “can do” attitude he attributes to finding and joining Mile Hi Church in 1989 (where he also sang in the choir for 3 years). What stunned him most was to finally find a church that encouraged him to use his mind and find his own beliefs.  He started his involvement by working in the church office and then met another single and they decided to start the Mile Hi singles group – currently known as the YESS group. 

Throughout all these job changes and health challenges, he found the time to be married, have a daughter, and finish college (magna cum laude).  And – to volunteer for the Dumb Friends League, explore the peacefulness of meditation and singing bowls, and take dance lessons! Moreover, he’s still not done challenging himself.  As if he hasn’t made enough marks in his world – he’s set another goal.  He’s taking his passion for photography to new heights and is taking it professional.  His new photography endeavor is called focalmania.com.

Even with all these accomplishments, the one he holds most dear are those moments he spends with his daughter and granddaughter (sadly, far away in newly wind-ravaged Houston)--- sharing what’s in his HEART with the people he loves most.

Bill knows – in the end, it won’t be what you have or have done in your life that’s most important; it’s loving and being loved.

You go, Bill.