BUFFALO, N.Y. — A local woman has started a new group that's aimed at creating a community full of love and free of judgment. It's called "Mommy Moment 716."
Missy Fogarty's personal Instagram is filled with beautiful pictures of her, her husband Derek and their two little ones: Gavin and Jackson. Fogarty says it's been very challenging over the last year-plus.
The story the pictures don't necessarily tell is the hardship of becoming a new mom to two boys who are also dealing with separate health issues. Gavin has an exceptionally rare eye condition and Jackson has extremely low levels of hemoglobin.
"I felt like I can only talk so much to my family and I can only talk so much to my husband, I really needed someone else," Fogarty said. "I needed a mom too who is on the same page of some sort."
So Fogarty started sharing more about her real life, fears and insecurities and all, on her social media.
"People responded, they have been so loving and caring and thoughtful," Fogarty said. "So I feel like I needed to give that back."
Now she has a brand new Instagram called "Mommy Moment 716" which is a soft place to land on the internet for anyone, but especially to moms of any age from anywhere needing support, a friend, a laugh or just honestly: a break.
"We don't need to be perfect. And we don't need to show people that we're perfect. We can just be us," Fogarty said.
In just over a week, Mommy Moment 716 is nearing 800 followers. Fogarty's vision is to help organize meetups for moms and to support local business at the same time. And on that note of perfection, let's talk about her first event.
"Not one person showed up," Fogarty said.
With her heart and humor leading the way and nowhere to go but up, Fogarty says she's found freedom in sharing her experiences, positive or not so much, and that's a gift she wants to share.
"It's living in the moment," Fogarty said. "It's creating the moment, embracing these moments that we are bless with and just living through it."