Found Family Day

July 1

I’m sure you already know that today is my birthday.

But today has become something even more meaningful to me.

For quite a while now, I’ve been talking about something I call Found Family Day. Today, July 1, I’m officially celebrating it.

As many of you know, I spent my childhood in Hillcrest Group Home and my high school years at the Villages of Indiana. As an adult, I don’t have a traditional family. The family I have is the one I’ve built along the way—the people who chose me, and whom I’ve chosen in return.

That’s what Found Family Day is about.

It’s a celebration of the friends, mentors, neighbors, coworkers, partners, and kind souls who remind us that love doesn’t have to be defined by biology. Family can be built through compassion, loyalty, laughter, shared experiences, and simply showing up for one another.

So whether you’ve been in my life for years or only recently crossed my path, thank you for being part of my found family.

I hope this message reminds you to reach out to the people you consider your found family. Tell them you love them. Give them a call. Write them a note. Send them a quick text. Don’t wait for a special occasion to let someone know they matter.

And if this idea speaks to you, help make Found Family Day contagious. Share it. Celebrate it. Start your own tradition. There are countless people whose lives have been changed by the family they found instead of the family they were born into.

Happy Found Family Day.

With love,

IFelixYou

P.S. The very first time I thought about Found Family Day was on my birthday. I was lonely. I was sad. And I was thinking about my dog, Little Eddie. Funny name, because he was anything but little.

I miss him every single day. If I could have just one more day with him, I’d take it in a heartbeat.

Little Eddie had one habit that drove me crazy and that I’d give anything to experience again: he hogged the bed covers. Every night.

This morning, I piled a few storage totes on one side of my bed so I’d have less room to sleep. It sounds silly, but for a moment it reminded me of what it felt like when Eddie took over half the bed.

I’d give anything to wake up freezing because he had stolen all the blankets again.

Found Family Day isn’t just about the people who love us. It’s also about the animals who loved us with their whole hearts. Even if they’re no longer with us, they’re still part of our family.

I love you, Little Eddie. Thank you for every stolen blanket, every wagging tail, and every memory that still makes me smile.

Today, I’m celebrating all of my found family—including the ones I carry only in my heart.