"Maddie was always bringing laughter and joy wherever she went. Her laugh was definitely one of a kind and very contagious! (Sometimes her laugh was more of a snort haha) She used to eat oreos and drink milk before swallowing and it always made me laugh the way she did it! My mom had to buy so many packs of oreos to make sure we had some for when she would come over! Maddie quickly became family and we loved her so much! I will always cherish the many memories I have of her. 

Maddie had a beautiful singing voice too! I love to listen to old videos of her singing, my favorite and many people's favorite was Strawberry Wine. 

Maddie was also very confident in herself and who she was. She knew her worth and put her faith in Jesus. She spread God's love and showed me what true faithfulness looks like. While she was sick she never showed fear because she knew God and knew His promise to us. Maddie taught me to be confident in who I am and to always look to God for all the good and bad times in life. 

I know Maddie is with me everyday and is so proud of MAM Legacy. MAM Legacy Florals honor Maddie by always having fun and being creative in what they create. Their work is meaningful, beautiful, and unique, just like Maddie! MAM Legacy Florals brings joy to many people, but is a way of healing for those of us who love Maddie!"

-  Carla -

words behind the girl...

Our mission: sharing joy through the power of flowers.
A favorite Bible verse of Maddie’s serves as a reminder for us as we go about our days.

“whatever is excellent, whatever is admirable, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is trustworthy, whatever is lovely, whatever is right, whatever is praiseworthy – think on these things” -Philippians 4:8

My greatest goal within our business is to build relationships with our clients, serve our community, and to keep the spirit of our baby girl alive. Always. As individual and unique as Maddie, so are YOU! We pour our hearts and energy into creating moments of joy that become cherished memories. Chris promises a purely unique, beautiful experience for every celebration with intention in every floral selected.

our "why"

MAM Legacy will grow into a storefront on the downtown Dadeville square as the building on North Tallassee Street is renovated and refurbished. Maddie dreamed of helping her mom with a boutique and our current plans are to provide our community with a wide selection of houseplants, florals, and gifts for moments in life worthy of celebrating. As the store opens, there will be a philanthropic spirit with a percentage of proceeds being donated to local needs and gynecological and pediatric cancer support groups.

Join us in visioning the fun to come!


Our team,
Leanne.
Kelley.
Hank and Walter.
CFO (Chief Fetch Officers)

The days that followed were dark and weary – yes, at times, they still are – but Chris and her family have found meaning in advocating about gynecological cancer awareness and research with a full focus on keeping Maddie’s memory alive. Chris always enjoyed arranging florals for family and friends and had even helped with several weddings. She has sought refuge and healing in selecting and designing florals to bring joy to the lives of others. During special occasions or in just everyday life. Flowers bring JOY. Just as Maddie did with her infectious laugh, spirit of adventure, and full of life personality. You will find this here. 

MAM Legacy Florals is a floral design team visioned by great love and deep loss. In October 2020, Chris learned that her 18-year-old daughter, Maddie, had a rare and aggressive ovarian cancer, small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT).   As an active teenager and freshman in college, this diagnosis came out of nowhere. Maddie was living her best life and truly wanted to beat the cancer. Treatment for this cancer was a hard regime and Maddie experienced set back, after set back, yet remained positive throughout. Unfortunately, after receiving the best treatment known for this type of cancer, Maddie slipped away to heaven on May 8, 2021 -- World Ovarian Cancer Day. Forever 18.

behind MAM LEGACY FLORALS

our story

More Joy to Come...

"Maddie was a firecracker! She had the thickest country accent I had ever heard, she always spoke her mind and showed up for the people that meant most to her!

My favorite memory I have with Maddie was when me, her, and Shay got stuck in a monsoon on the jet ski and had to dock at this random house and get someone to come pick us up!

She impacted my life forever, and definitely for the better. She was so strong and loved. And she made it easy for people to rally around her , because she did the same for the people she cared most for.

I see her in all the beautiful things in life. I think of her often! My stethoscope I use in nursing school is teal, and it is my reminder to be Maddie Strong!"

- Emma Claire - 

My Maddie,

"To know her was to love her—plain and simple. I can close my eyes, and I can still see her smile as if it were yesterday. I can sit in a quiet room and hear the echo of her laugh, vibrant and infectious. If I could describe Maddie to those of you who didn’t have the privilege of knowing her, I would say she embodied the spirit of carpe diem—seizing every moment with boundless energy, enthusiasm, and grace. Maddie was effervescent—her presence lit up every room she entered. She lived life to the absolute fullest, never hesitating to embrace whatever came her way. For her, each day was a fresh adventure, and the only worry was what the next one would be. What song would she play next, just to sing along to? What new experience would she dive into with that infectious zest for life? From being teammates in high school, to sharing the same college campus, to watching her courageously fight cancer—those moments remain some of the most rewarding I’ve ever had in my life. Maddie’s time on earth was never taken for granted, long before she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. If you knew her, you’d know that she lived every single day as if it could be her last. Her spirit reminded us that life should never be taken for granted, and that we should always live, love, and pursue what brings us joy. Maddie’s legacy is a reminder to spend time with those we cherish, to chase happiness without hesitation, and to savor the precious moments that make life worth living.

When I think of her now, my heart still aches knowing she’s no longer here, but I find comfort in the memories I carry with me. I see Maddie in nearly every place I look, even to this day, and I pray that never changes. Sometimes it stings, and I wish that feeling would fade. But then there are other times when I find myself thinking that maybe, just maybe, it’s her spirit popping in to say hello. I see her in the streets I drive down, in every boat ride I take, and in so many moments of my life. She’s there—in the laughter and the tears, in the quiet and the chaos. I see her in her daddy, and I hear her in her momma’s voice. Through the grief, as we all learned to navigate life after losing one of our best friends far too young, I don’t think many of us would have made it without Mr. Mark and Mrs. Chris. Their strength, their guidance, and the way they taught us to keep going—just as Maddie would have wanted—helped me carry on, even on the darkest days when the devil tried his hardest to tear us down. Cancer is a force of evil that I still can’t quite wrap my head around, and it will be one of the first things I ask the Lord when I finally meet Him: Why? Why cancer? Why my Maddie? There are no answers that could ever make sense of this, but I hold onto the hope that one day, I’ll understand. Until then, I’ll carry her with me, in every memory, every smile, every moment of joy.

As I reflect on Maddie’s life, one thing that stands out more than anything is her laugh. It was infectious—so genuine and full of joy that it could light up even the darkest of rooms. Her laugh was a reflection of the way she lived: fully, passionately, and without hesitation. Even in her hardest moments, when life threw everything it could at her, Maddie would smile, throw her head back, and laugh. And in that laugh, you could hear her mantra loud and clear: "Life goes on". She said it often, a reminder that no matter what life threw at her, she would keep moving forward. It wasn’t just a phrase—it was her way of life. Now, as we continue on without her, those words echo in my heart. Life does go on, even when it feels impossible. Maddie’s legacy is one of resilience, love, and the relentless pursuit of joy in every moment. In a world that sometimes feels uncertain and heavy, Maddie’s laugh will always remind us to keep going, to find happiness even in the smallest things, and to cherish every moment. Her spirit lives on in each of us who were lucky enough to know her, and as we carry on, we’ll remember her words: “Life goes on.” And so, we move forward, honoring her memory by living as she did—with love, laughter, and an unwavering belief that even in the face of hardship, life is worth embracing."

- Friend of Maddie - 

Maddie was my first ever friend. We shared a special friendship for 17 years. Maddie passed away when I was 20 years old. To have a friend for that long is so special. Maddie impacted me in many ways. I just don’t ever remember a time that we were apart until our college days. To see her through her journey with cancer, made me realize that life is so precious, and we just never know. She enjoyed and made the best of every single day on this earth.

Maddie was fearless, loyal to those around her, resilient, radiant, witty, and headstrong. Maddie enjoyed Lake Martin, traveling, being outdoors, makeup, ACDC, and the Dixie Chicks. Lord I remember when we would sing ACDC and the Dixie Chicks to the top of our lungs. I remember all the vacations we went on and we were always up to something (no good usually). One time specifically, the fight we got in over a hairbrush right before beach pictures — our parents were so mad! Oh boy, the time we thought it was a good idea to get in the paddle boat and paddle way across the lake.. Mr. Mark came and hooked us up to the wave runner and we told him to go fast and of course we flipped and all we could do was laugh. The times we rode the wave runner like we were the only ones on the lake.

I could write a book about Maddie. She was simply amazing. To know her was to truly love her. Maddie was so down to earth. She loved hard, she loved Jesus. Maddie was the kind of friend everyone loves to have or needs in their corner.
A lesson that I learned from Maddie is, to always fight, never give up, and to take on everything life throws at us with a smile on our face and know that the Lord will get us through. We were young kids competing in beauty pageants, we lost, but that didn’t mean anything to Maddie. She continued doing them until she won. Playing softball and gymnastics, Maddie would get so irritated and be hard on herself, but she kept pushing and always accomplished what she wanted out of those sports. I can remember when she was at Lee-Scott going through a very tough time, I was really worried about her. But Maddie never looked back and kept moving forward with that smile on her face. Fast forward to when we heard of the terrible diagnoses. Maddie, with a smile on her face, “let’s kick cancers ass!”. I remember Face-Timing Maddie when the decision was made to come home on hospice. I was torn on Face-Time, and this girl smiled and says “don’t be sad Cali! We’re going to enjoy the rest of the time we have together and make the best of it!”. That’s a headstrong girl right there.

I always share her story every chance I get. I feel her in so many of my days. Of course, anytime Strawberry Wine or Goodbye Earl comes on, I sing it loud and proud for my girl.

-Cali-