Who we are:
About Paula Hill
Founder & Executive Director, Austin’s Sunshine Foundation
In Loving Memory of Austin McFadden
Paula Hill is the Founder and Executive Director of Austin’s Sunshine Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting bereaved parents through grief education, compassionate connection, and community care. She is also a certified Life and Grief Coach whose work is deeply informed by personal experience, professional training, and unwavering faith.
Paula has been married for over 23 years to her husband Bryan, a proud U.S. veteran. Together, they have built a life rooted in love, family, and resilience. As a mother of three, Paula’s life was profoundly altered when her son, Austin, tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident in August 2022. The sudden and devastating nature of Austin’s death left an unfillable void and marked the beginning of a deeply personal journey through grief.
In the wake of this loss, Paula felt a calling to walk alongside others enduring similar heartbreak. This calling led her to become a certified Life and Grief Coach, where she now helps bereaved parents navigate the complex and isolating experience of child loss. Her approach is shaped not only by professional knowledge but also by the lived reality of profound sorrow—and the hard-won hope that can grow through it.
Austin’s Sunshine Foundation was created as a tribute to Austin’s life and spirit, and as a beacon for those struggling to find light in their own grief. Through the foundation, Paula provides resources, grief coaching, and access to peer support networks, ensuring that no parent has to walk through the darkness alone. One of the cornerstone programs of the foundation is Fingerprints of Grief, a virtual community support group that offers bereaved parents a safe and compassionate space to be seen, heard, and supported.
Paula’s mission is to honor her son’s legacy by transforming pain into purpose and heartbreak into healing. She believes that grief, while deeply personal, should never be endured in isolation—and that with the right support, even the heaviest sorrow can begin to soften.
Though she will forever carry the absence of her son, Paula remains committed to bringing comfort, connection, and light to others who are grieving. Her work continues to impact the lives of many, serving as a guiding force for parents learning to live forward while honoring the love that endures.
About Bryan:
Bryan Hill
Executive Vice President, Austin’s Sunshine Foundation
Bryan Hill, a proud veteran of the United States Army, carries both strength and gentleness into his role as Executive Vice President of Austin’s Sunshine Foundation. He met Paula as he was departing from active duty, stepping into her and her children’s lives at a young age. When Austin was just four years old, Bryan became a steady and devoted father figure, guiding him into manhood with love, encouragement, and unwavering support.
Bryan and Austin shared a special bond through their love of working on cars, trucks, and motorcycles. Their time spent together in the garage wasn’t just about mechanics—it was about connection, laughter, and building memories that would last a lifetime.
Since losing Austin, Bryan’s heart has been devoted to creating a safe space for men who are navigating the depths of grief. His mission is to break the stigma that men must remain silent, strong, or unemotional in their sorrow. Through Austin’s Sunshine Foundation, he walks alongside other grieving fathers, uncles, brothers, and friends—reminding them that grief can coexist with life, and that sharing emotion is not weakness but courage.
Bryan believes it is his purpose to help men find their voice in grief and to know they are not alone. His faith has been the anchor through unimaginable loss, carrying him and Paula each day as they continue to honor Austin by telling his story and keeping his legacy alive. Together, through this foundation, Bryan helps build a community where hearts are held, stories are shared, and healing is possible.
About Christy:
TREASURER, AUSTIN’S SUNSHINE FOUNDATION
COMING SOON…..
About Annie:
SECRETARY, AUSTIN’S SUNSHINE FOUNDATION
In loving memory of Vincent Shelton
Annie Shelton is a devoted educator, mother and community advocate based in Fort Worth, Texas. She serves as Secretary for the Austin’s Sunshine Foundation, where her heart and experience bring deep meaning to the mission. Annie met the foundation founder through shared heartbreak- both having lost their sons in motorcycle accidents— and together, they have transformed grief into a source of connection and hope. Her son, Vincent Shelton, remains the inspiration behind her work, a guiding light as she helps others navigate their own journeys of healing. She works with children in special education, where compassion, resilience and the belief in every child’s potential guide her daily. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in counseling with a focus on grief and trauma, Annie is dedicated to walking alongside others through their own hourneys of healing. With a spiritual perspective and a gift for heartfelt communication, she helps the foundation offer light in life’s most challenging moments.
”Grief reshapes the heart without asking permission—stretching it wider to hold both sorrow and love, loss and light. Healing isn’t forgetting; it’s remembering with grace.” —Annie Shelton
Austin’s Sunshine Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in loving memory of Austin McFadden, whose radiant life was tragically cut short in a motorcycle accident. Our mission is to shine light into the deepest corners of grief by compassionately supporting bereaved parents—especially those who have lost a child in a sudden accident. Through grief coaching, peer support, remembrance events, and healing-centered resources, we create safe spaces where sorrow is honored, love is remembered, and hope is gently restored. Guided by Austin’s enduring legacy and the steadfast image of a lighthouse, we envision a world where no grieving parent walks alone, and every story of loss is met with empathy, connection, and the promise that healing is possible.
Contact us:
*
Contact us: *
We’d Love to Connect With You
Whether you’re interested in volunteering, want to learn more about our mission, or simply have a question—you're in the right place. Fill out the form below, and someone from our team will reach out shortly.
We can’t wait to hear from you and welcome you into the heart of our community.
Together, we bring light to those walking through darkness.