In this episode of The CARTI Hopecast, Adam Head sits down with Colleen Nick, mother, advocate, and founder of the Morgan Nick Foundation. Colleen’s daughter, Morgan, was six years old when she was taken from a Little League baseball field in Alma, Arkansas in 1995. What followed was a life forever altered, and a decades-long journey marked by unanswered questions, enduring hope, and relentless advocacy.

Colleen reflects on who Morgan was before she went missing—curious, joyful, and full of imagination—and the moment that reshaped her life as a mother. She speaks candidly about the unique and ongoing grief of not knowing, describing a form of loss without closure and the daily choice to continue living, parenting, and hoping in the absence of answers.

Colleen has built one of the nation’s most influential child advocacy organizations. Through education, prevention, and direct support for families of missing persons, the Morgan Nick Foundation works to ensure that no family walks this road alone, and that every missing person is remembered, fought for, and valued.

Takeaways:

1. The disappearance of a child creates a form of grief without resolution, one that families must learn to carry over a lifetime.
2. Hope, as Colleen describes it, is not passive optimism but sustained action and advocacy.
3. The Morgan Nick Foundation was born from the belief that Morgan’s life mattered and that no family should navigate loss alone.
4. Education and prevention play a critical role in keeping children safe and empowering families.
5. Community, compassion, and continued connection are essential for families living with unanswered loss.
6. Even in the absence of closure, purpose can emerge, and love can endure.

Referenced in this episode:

1. morgannickfoundation.org

Founded in 1976, CARTI delivers leading-edge cancer care in a compassionate, patient-centered environment. Our mission is to make trusted cancer care accessible for every patient we serve through compassion, innovation, and purpose.

The CARTI Hopecast shares authentic, meaningful stories that focus on human experiences. Every day, we see patients and families navigating unimaginable hardships, sometimes feeling alone in their journey. Through The Hopecast, listeners hear stories of resilience and transformation, fostering a sense of connection and hope.