Our Story

Sophie and Madigan’s Playground is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization created to honor the lives of Sophie and Madigan Lillard, who died at ages 6 and 3 as a result of a horrific house fire that occurred on January 31, 2013. As Sophie and Madigan’s parents struggled to cope with the loss of their daughters, they looked for a way to honor the memory of Sophie and Madigan and pay tribute to the joy Sophie and Madigan brought their family and friends during their too short lives. At the same time the Lillards were coping with this horrible loss, they were touched by the outpouring of support provided by the greater Frederick County, Maryland community that was rocked by the tragedy. The Lillards created Sophie and Madigan’s Playground in June 2013 to honor the lives of Sophie and Madigan by providing opportunities for children and their families to play, learn, and create lifelong memories together. The mission of Sophie and Madigan’s Playground is to honor the lives of Sophie and Madigan Lillard by building a memorial playground and providing opportunities for children and their families to play, learn, and create lifelong memories together.