i agree, story doesnt add up – why have wake in nyc vs stamford, and why immediately update your website for donations while you are supposedly in mourning. she makes millions and doesnt need anymore $, not to mention that she didnt buy batteries for her smoke detectors and knowing that they were not on still slept 2 floors below her children ( a caring mother would have slept closer to her children)

I feel that everyone should stop with the hate mail. Nothing being said will ever change this tragedy regardless of who is to blame. Pray for the family, wish them well and move on.

You’re calling me names?

Focus your anger at the two fools who caused this tragedy.

Hey Deborah ~ Get a life you jealous loser. She is a MOTHER who has just lost her 3 children and both parents. Here’s to Madonna and Matthew for having the courage to show up for their children’s funeral and honor them. I cannot think of a better couple to ensure that the outpouring of donations are truly used to bring love and compassion to other children’s lives. This family is in deep mourning. NO ONE, REPEAT, NO ONE, WOULD EVER WANT THIS TO HAPPEN, NOR WOULD ANYONE TRY TO PROFIT OFF OF A TRAGEDY OF THIS MAGNITUDE. GO STAND IN FRONT OF A MIRROR, POINT YOUR FINGER INTO IT AND SEE THE REFLECTION OF YOUR TRUE SELF. THAT’S RIGHT, IT’S NOT A GOOD ONE IS IT? Hypocrite~you and others on here are simple outrageous with these comments!

May Madonna, Matthew, their friends and loved ones know that so many are praying for them now and always. This is a tragic loss no human should ever have to endure. I know the foundation will make a point to do many a great things in other children’s lives. You are casting a huge judgement with a big stone. Watch out, karma is ten fold. Do you know this woman? Did you not see the father with his girlfriend? People who get divorced to go on to meet new people in their life. Who are you to be so concerned with the cost of her home and to suppose you know about her relationship. THIS WOMAN LOST HER 3 CHILDREN AND PARENTS AND I KNOW SHE WOULD DO ANYTHING TO HAVE THEM BACK. OH, RIGHT, YOU’VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING. NO ACCIDENTS HAVE EVER OCCURRED IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE SPARED OF SUCH TRAGEDY. YOU ARE SO F’INK PERFECT THAT GOD APPOINTED YOU AND ALL OF THESE HORRIFIC COMMENTS AS JUDGE. I READ THESE COLD COMMENTS AND AM SO THANKFUL THAT I DO NOT VIEW PEOPLE OR THE WORLD THIS WAY. May this family be protected from the terrible “people” making these FALSE accusations. May they find strength and love in the difficult days ahead.

Making a profit?! That’s it. I’m so done with this thread. People are really, really, really sick in the head.

Those poor little children WANTED the ashes out of the fireplace…for Santa. You must not have little kids. When my daughter was little she wanted the fireplace cleared for Santa, so he wouldn’t get hurt, too.

How can people be so heartless and cruel? It’s a mean ol’ world, that’s for sure. Three little girls and their grandparents die horribly on Christmas morning and all people can think about is how they should have done things differently and accuse them of trying to profit off the worst loss anyone can ever experience. You people should be ashamed. Really, shame on all of you. I hope someday someone spits on YOUR grave and accuse the loved ones you leave behind of nefarious and despicable things and hurts them over and over and over again. Karma Baby!

It is my passionate hope that the extended family of these three little children and certainly their mother do NOT see the above post. The fact that a grief-stricken father, small cousin, uncles and aunts and other friends who love them must also be reeling from horror and despair, and might also be reading posts here, has clearly been forgotten by this selfish individual. If the family has been exposed to the additional pain of reading the above, I wonder if it will help to know that virtually the same message has been posted in other comment boards under a variety of names. The unique phrasing and political references makes it clear that it is an individual or group with a specific agenda that has nothing fundamentally to do with your family. The word opportunistic is, I think, an unconscious admission about this poster’s own motives in using your tragedy to promote other ideas, and is NO REFLECTION on your family. The surrounding speculations are just a way to obscure the underlying intentions. Instead, please take away the message that millions of people are sending warm thoughts, prayers and shocked sympathy to you for your enormous and inconceivable loss. Those children and their obviously loving grandparents will be remembered by a nation of people who never knew them in life…and their story will undoubtedly save many lives, of many other children. I have already seen new caution in fire safety in my workplace and among family and it’s because of your children. That can’t be any real comfort to you now, but perhaps someday it will be.

I am stunned and horrified at the absolute stupidity of people posting here. There is nothing “opportunistic” about the information about where to send donations to the charity. The money is NOT for Madonna Badger. The money is in honor and memory of these children who died, to set up a charitable foundation to do whatever kind of charitable work, including making grants to children’s organizations in their honor. The foundation is called “The Other 364 Days” and obviously it is just getting going. It is put on the website so that people wishing to do so can make a contribution.

Ugh. I just feel sick when I read stuff like that. Someone actually suggested that it would be better to “make a donation to a children’s charity”. This IS a children’s charilty!!! Someone actually suggested that it was like the fund for the police officer’s children. It couldn’t be more different. Those children are still alive and need money because they lost their father, who provided the income for their lives and futures. This woman LOST her children and is creating a foundation in their honor. The money is not for HER. Good Lord, people, get a clue. This poor woman is suffering. There but for the grace of God go all of us.

Grief is all I can feel for these people. No blame , no suspect of any motivations for their charity. Only pure sympathy for this horrible tragedy.

Prior to this donation solicitation my thoughts and prayers were with her. I am not perfect and do not need to be told that God knows all, but I am a mother and my primary job is to keep my children safe and not put them in harm’s way by letting them occupy a space on the second floor of a house that was not in compliance with building codes, and not connecting or installing smoke alarms in an old wooden house. Watch how the public relations effort will unfold… Here is my prediction – each day more information will trickle out to keep the story going and the donations coming in.

RED – You really need a therapist yourself. Be very grateful you are not the one having to make these decisions. If you have nothing nice to say, don’t comment.

Oh and by the way… Not one peep out of the father to say what a wonderful mother she was. More public relations at work to ensure he stays quiet so she can cash in! Ms. Badger has surely been in touch with her legal advisors due to boyfriend not being licensed to perform the work. She is covering all of her bases and her tracks.

Another curoisity I have is why not ask for donations to be sent to the Windward school, the school all 3 girls attended.

wow – i am stunned by some of these comments – how judgemental – i am floored even. i am extremely sad to say i know several people who have lost children (in my case to cancer) – many set up foundations in their honor and when their heads clear even slightly, they focus the funds on what would honor their children the best. if you don’t want to donate, don’t – i probably should stop being shocked at the limit to some people’s humanity and compassion. it’s just a constant let down. love and strength to the badger family and all who know and care for them. and may none of us never know this horror.

To lose a loved one is painful, to lose your whole family must be physically and psychologically unbearable. Ms. Badger and her husband have not solicited funds. Many people have asked what they can do beyond kind words, and laying flowers and teddy bears. They asked what kind of monetary contribution they can make in the memory of those lost and this was set up to respond to those requests. These two parents are not thinking about the foundation, money, or anything beyond their utter grief. Send money if you feel it is right. If you do not want to send contribute, then there is no need to criticize or question the intentions.

Genesis, your lack of compassionate words toward others stings all of us at a time we need it least. Please take care.

Agree. I have been following this tragedy since Christmas Day and I am so deeply saddened by this tragedy. I pray for this family and for all families who have experienced this kind of catastrophic loss due to an accidental fire. I can not begin to imagine the deep pain involved in losing your loved ones in this way.

On the other hand I do find this funds related message on the Badger website to be distasteful. Maybe it was meant with the best of intentions, but to me, it comes off as opportunistic. Why not wait to make a plan first before posting such a thing?

did anybody notice that there is a fireplace in this photo of the girls and their grandparents? i just noticed this and thought it was an eerie premonition. this photo was taken years ago it seems but it looks like there was some foreshadowing of what was to come in the future. i just wonder if we as humans can pay more attention to the cues given to us in life. will we then be able to make better decisions or change our plans based on this? i don’t know the answers to this but i think it’s worth exploring. there were a lot of warning signs in this tragedy. but people get so busy in their lives that they don’t pay attention to what those warning signs are. sometimes we get lucky and escape tragedies. but other times we seem to be watching a shakespearian tragedy unfold right before our very eyes. I am reminded of another tragedy of losing a child at such an early age – who better than Eric Clapton to help soothe the soul at the time of such unspeakable grief. I hope these lyrics will bring comfort and compassion to the grieving Badger and Johnson family. I think they should set up a foundation to include the grandparents too. They seemed like such great grandparents and how fortunate that they got to spend so many happy times together with their beloved little granddaughters.

Would you know my name
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you feel the same
If I saw you in heaven?
I must be strong and carry on
‘Cause I know I don’t belong here in heaven

Would you hold my hand
If I saw you in heaven?
Would you help me stand
If I saw you in heaven?
I’ll find my way through night and day
‘Cause I know I just can’t stay here in heaven

Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart, have you begging please, begging please

Beyond the door there’s peace I’m sure
And I know there’ll be no more tears in heaven

What about donating to Windward School where the three girls attended? Dyslexia is a national health crisis which flies completely under the radar!!! It affects 10 – 20% of all school aged children and nothing is being done about it in the US. If I won the lottery tomorrow all my money would go towards dyslexia research and education. May the girls and grand-parents RIP. Signed, San Francisco, CA

i don’t think the parents had anything to do with this; how could they at a time like this; their friends and family are taking hold of the opportunity to begin collecting for a foundation they plan to set up in the girls’ name. it’s in poor taste to criticize these people who are going through horrendous grief. let’s all be supportive of them; if you want to donate, then do so, if you don’t, keep your opinions to yourself and have respect for a tragic family

There is potential for a lot of checks to be written from people around the world and I’m not a fan of orgs that want to collect money first and “build it as they fly” later. Seems Badger and Winters consulting wanted to corner the market for donations which now puts them in a financial position to participate in the execution of a well endowed foundation. A better approach would have been to more thoughtfully establish a foundation before calling for donations. I expressed my condolences but will not be writing a check. It won’t bring any of them back.

To suggest donations to a charity is now standard practice and actually the most benevolent and appropriate means of honoring the life of a special person – in this case, three young girls, and showing your support to the family. It is offering those who want to do something a way to participate in creating something good out of this tragedy. It is usually stated in an obituary that “in lieu of flowers…….may make a donation to…….in the memory of…..” or something similar. A notice of each donation is provided to the family. It is not soliciting donations, it is providing mourners with a means to express their support in a lasting, beneficial way. In this case, with 3 young girls being honored it is appropriate to create a new foundation rather than donate to other organizations. When the foundation is finalized, it may very well support other causes in line with the mission of the foundation. It has only been 9 days. Flowers fade away but a well-managed foundation can provide countless and ongoing benefits in memory of those beautiful girls. Also, please remember to be kind in your responses and be eternally thankful that you do not have to “walk a mile in this family’s shoes” before making judgement.”

I plan on sending a monetary amount, and do not think it’s out of line to ask. I agree with Mourner that it’s more than likely some employees getting together to help out at this very difficult time. I feel certain people from all over the world are wanting to reach out and help in some way. Can’t imagine how hard Thursday will be for the mother and father; I have been praying that God grants the Badger’s courage and grace.

I don’t think anyone really needs to comment here about whether you agree or disagree w/ a fund being set up in memory of children lost in a tragic fire along w/ their grandparents. Since it’s just a week or so into this, I highly doubt the parents have had the emotional or psychological wherewithall to sit down and map out a full blown 501 (c)3 Non profit organization which I’ve no doubt they will do in honor of their lost family members. So why don’t people here just back off and cut these people who are grieving a loss that most of you nor I will ever come close to experiencing in life and allow them to do things on their own terms and on their own time schedules. If you don’t like what you see, hear or even smell, then follow the age old mantra of RESPECT for others which is: When in doubt, LEAVE it OUT!!! Perhaps this is an attempt for some office workers to just get the “ball rolling” – and for the record, a “Non profit organization” is about a LOT more than Lil suggests here in her rudimentary interpretation of “use it or lose it”. It’s about SO MUCH MORE than money my dears….but it’s blatantly obvious where you two greedy gals have your mind set at – pure selfishness in the time of a Mother and Father’s greatest loss of life. Shame on you both for even posting such egregious posts – “BiZARRE!” is right Carlota – as in your thinking and your comments are Bizarre!!!

I suspect this comment will be met with some differences of opinion, but I find the establishment of this foundation by Badger’s group wildly inappropriate, and it gives the perception of wanting to profit from a colleague’s extreme tragedy a nation’s grief. (I suspect Madonna Badger had little to do with this, herself, but rather it’s her firm.) The mission statement is vague, at best…what will they do? how will they do it? what types of people or problems do they serve? I’ve worked in “non-profit” foundations (which simply means money must be spent by the end of the year). Unless they explicitly note otherwise, assume large salaries for administrators, money paid to the the Badgers group for advertising (not a coincidence), and other such expenses.

If this really was about helping people find a way to give, they could have simply urged people to donate to their favorite charity in the girls’ names, or even listed a few organizations. But to set up their own, when it seems even they don’t know what it’s about other than soliciting donations, seems (even if it isn’t) self-serving and a bit bizarre.