WEST HAVEN Even though they tragically lost their 51/2-year-old son Mickey to cancer in 2016, Mark and Rachel Macholl still have faith.

So with all the strife in the world today concerning the pandemic and political division, the Macholls have decided to bring some of their lightness to the world through a livestream called Believe that will be take place at 7 p.m. every Wednesday in December on the Mickeys Fight Facebook page. To see the livestream, like the Facebook page. Their sons, Trey, 13, and Tyce, 10, will make guest appearances.

As in everything they do, Mickey will be present in spirit, they said. The Macholls now live in North Carolina, but grew up in West Haven and still have many family ties in the city. When their book Mickeys Fight was released in 2019, they traveled to to West Haven to hold a book signing at Duffys Tavern.

We want something to bring people together, Mark Macholl said in an interview from North Carolina.

Mickey, a kid described as outgoing, full of personality, will be there not only in spirit, but in the material. In the first episode, the family was to read one of three childrens books Mark Macholl has written this first one, The Brothers Christmas, originally was penned to comfort Trey, who would always get sad around holidays since his brothers death. Its one of three adventure books featuring three brothers.

During the livestreams, someone will receive a free, autographed copy of Mickeys Fight from the Macholls, talking about Mickeys brave, painful fight against cancer and their fight to allow parents the option of integrative care involving small doses of traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy, with the addition of vitamins, oils and other natural substances. For readers who have been awaiting the sequel to Mickeys Fight, they will read an excerpt from the forthcoming book, 2 a.m.

Our biggest goal is to raise awareness of childhood cancer, Rachel Macholl said. Ultimately, we want to form a movement for integrative medicine.

The Macholls say they keep Mickey in their everyday lives, but in a happy way. But the livestream wont be sad and the audience will be able to weigh in with their holiday stories and beliefs.

On a personal level, its a way to share Mickey with anyone who hasnt met him, Mark Macholl said of bringing Mickey into the livestream. With all he went through, I couldnt live with myself (and not include him). I dont want Mickey to have died in vain.

The livestream topics will be centered around the couples faith in Jesus Christ and adult belief in the giving idea known as Santa. They say they have inspiring stories that support their beliefs.

Sharing Christmas stories from our family, our aim is to stir up that childhood belief that sadly is often lost with age, Mark Macholl said. With everything going on in this crazy world, we thought people could use some Christmas spirit now, more than ever.

The couple has stories to back up their beliefs, such as one year when Mickey was sick, the boys wanted a gaming system and were debating whether a Play Station or an Xbox. The family had been struggling with money because of the illness and Mickeys brothers changed their wish to the family collecting enough money to cover Mickeys treatments, they said.

Out of the blue - they still dont know from where - they got both, Mark Macholl said.

Mickeys battle with cancer was high-profile in the community and so many gave so generously as the family struggled to pay the bills and for treatment, the Macholls said.

The Macholls have said they did not always agree with Mickeys cancer treatment. Today their goal is to raise awareness and ultimately, to establish a Mickeys Fight Foundation, to change laws and eventually be able to open a wellness center offering integrative medicine through a doctor.

Mickeys illness was discovered almost by accident when he slipped in the tub, then woke up the next morning and threw up. His parents brought him to the hospital thinking he might have ruptured his spleen.

While both parents contributed to the book, it is largely made up of the text from Facebook posts that Mark Macholl used to inform family, friends and the interested public during the journey. The book reads like a diary.

At first their situation tested the Macholls faith in God, but by the end that faith was even stronger.

That faith is only fueled by the afterlife they said Mickey described to them as he was dying and the signs they have received of his continued presence. Mark Macholl will talk about the latter in his next book, which will serve as a guide to grief.

In Mickeys Fight, the parents write about how two days before passing, Mickey said he had a glimpse of heaven and said he saw his brother. It turns out the Macholls had experienced a miscarriage earlier in their marriage, but had never told their sons. Then Mickey began naming kids they had seen during treatments at various hospitals, although he didnt know their names then.

When Mickey was passing there were so many affirmations that Heaven exists, Mark Macholl said.

In terms of Mickeys continued presence, Mark Macholl tells a story in the book of how a couple of days after his sons passing he ran out to get the family dinner and lost it once he was alone. He went in to get the food and when he came out there was a childs handprint the size and shape of Mickeys hand on the inside of the drivers-side window. Mark Macholl said a song that always made him think of Mickey came on and he could feel the presence of another person. When he went to put his arm around the seat to drive, Mark Macholl felt little fingers on his arm, he said.

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Couple who lost son, 5, to cancer will livestream to bring cheer and 'bring people together' - CT Insider