Gries family receives Family Impact Award for safe sleep education

Jeff, Meagen, Emma and Owen Gries accept the Family Impact Award at Akron Children’s More childhood, please.™ Awards.

At the inaugural More childhood, please.™ Awards held in 2025, Meagen and Jeff Gries were honored with the Family Impact Award for their tireless advocacy to protect infants and educate caregivers about safe sleep practices – work rooted in love, loss and hope.

For the Gries’, the award represents far more than recognition. The family’s advocacy journey began in 2010, after the devastating loss of their 10-week-old daughter, Molly, due to unsafe sleep. Amid unimaginable grief, they were confronted with a heartbreaking reality.

Turning grief into advocacy and education

“After losing Molly, we quickly learned how common misconceptions about infant sleep can have devastating consequences,” Meagen said. “In the midst of grief that felt unbearable, we made a decision. If we could help even 1 family avoid the pain we were living, then Molly’s life would have purpose beyond our loss.”

That decision became the foundation for lasting change. Meagen and her husband created the Molly Ann Gries Foundation, dedicated to educating caregivers and advocating for safe sleep awareness.

“Our mission is simple but urgent: to educate caregivers about safe sleep practices for infants and to advocate for prevention through awareness,” Meagen explained. “What inspires us most about this work is the families we reach. Parents, grandparents, childcare providers and medical professionals who are eager to learn and do better once they have accurate information. Every conversation matters. Every family educated is a potential life saved.”

While there was no single turning point, the days immediately following Molly’s death reshaped their lives forever.

“The shock of realizing that Molly’s death was preventable, changed the course of our lives,” Meagen said. “We couldn’t go back and save her, but we could work to protect others.”

Emma Gries accepting the award from Akron Children’s CEO Chris Gessner.

Why safe sleep education matters for every caregiver

Through education, outreach and difficult but necessary conversations, the Gries family has helped countless caregivers rethink how babies sleep – and in doing so, helped save lives. For Meagen, the most meaningful moments come when she sees Molly’s story making a tangible difference.

“The most rewarding part of this work is knowing that Molly’s story has impact,” she said. “When parents tell us they changed how their baby sleeps because of something they learned through our foundation, that is everything. It is hope rising out of heartbreak.”

When the family learned they would receive the Family Impact Award, the moment was both emotional and affirming.

“When we found out we were being recognized with the Family Impact Award, we felt overwhelmed in the best way,” Meagen said. “This award is not about recognition for us as individuals. It is about awareness. It brings safe sleep conversations into the spotlight and helps amplify a message that saves lives.”

The Molly Ann Gries Foundation has donated copies of the book “Sleep Baby, Safe and Snug” to be given to parents of newborns at all Akron Children’s Pediatrics offices.

Molly’s enduring legacy

The Gries family hopes this recognition encourages others to turn pain into purpose and to use their voices – even when it feels difficult.

“We hope this recognition encourages others to speak up, even when their story is painful,” Meagen shared. “Grief can be isolating, but it can also be a powerful force for change. You don’t have to be an expert to make a difference. You just have to care and be willing to share.”

Along the way, partnerships with medical professionals and organizations like Akron Children’s have strengthened their reach and reinforced the importance of prevention.

“Their partnership and belief in our mission has made a difference every step of the way,” Meagen said.

At the heart of it all is Molly – whose life continues to inspire.

“Molly will always be our daughter,” Meagen said. “Through this work, she is also a teacher, a protector and a reminder that even the smallest lives can leave the biggest legacy.”