For Broward resident Shashayne Maxwell, volunteering at the 22nd annual Kiss Country Cares for Kids Radiothon on Dec. 11, 2025, was more than a community service—it was a deeply personal return to a place that once helped her family through one of their most difficult moments.
The Radiothon, which raised a record-breaking $344,003 to support Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, brought together volunteers, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) employees, and Miami Dolphins cheerleaders in a show of local solidarity. Maxwell, who will mark her third year with FPL this July, joined them to give back to the hospital that had once saved her son’s life.
In 2014, Maxwell’s son began feeling unwell after a summer trip to Boston. A routine visit to urgent care quickly escalated when doctors suspected diabetes. He was rushed to Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, where his diagnosis was confirmed just before his 12th birthday.
“He spent a week there,” Maxwell recalls. “The staff was incredible. They paid attention to every detail. They basically saved his life.”
During his stay, Maxwell’s son spent two days in the ICU before moving to the pediatric ward, where hospital staff ensured he could still celebrate his birthday. His room was decorated with balloons and a handmade banner, and a clown rode in on a tiny tricycle while nurses brought gifts and cheers.
“They made him feel like everything was going to be okay,” Maxwell says. “In such a scary moment, they gave him hope, and they gave me hope, too.”
Returning to the hospital years later for the Radiothon, Maxwell encountered the same clown—now retired but still volunteering—who remembered her son by name. “I couldn’t believe it. You don’t often get moments like that,” she says.
Volunteering for the Radiothon brought a wave of emotions. “It was bittersweet,” Maxwell admits. “But I felt compelled to show up and give back to another child who might be going through something just as terrifying.”
Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital serves more than 360,000 pediatric patients each year, touching families across South Florida, including many in FPL’s service area. Maxwell reflected on how meaningful it was to be part of the Radiothon’s efforts.
“To know that I was part of something that will help those families meant everything,” she says. “It reminded me how much empathy and kindness there is in our community.”
Maxwell credits her family—including her husband, also an FPL employee—and her colleagues for their support throughout her journey. The company itself emphasizes community engagement: in 2025, FPL employees volunteered more than 55,000 hours across South Florida.
Balancing her career, family, and the final stretch of her MBA program at Florida Atlantic University, Maxwell hopes her story inspires others.
“There’s always a blessing somewhere, even in the hardest moments,” she says. “Looking back at everything we’ve been through, I know I can do this. And if I can, someone else can too.”
