❤️‍🩹 Running for Love

We know our community to be unflinching people of strength and compassion, but it seems a kindness to say before this story that there are mentions of medical complications leading to the death of a child. There is no shame in knowing yourself well enough to know that reading such things does not help you love people, yourself, or your work of helping your community, so there is no shame in passing on this particular article.

Our friend, Mike McSherry is raising money until the end of the year to help families facing similar situations, and you can help using this link.

“For Callum 🩵”

The auto industry is full of incredible people who go beyond the hustle of daily business to impact the world in meaningful ways. Mike McSherry is one such person—a familiar face in the industry, known for his energy and dedication. But behind his professional success lies a deeply personal story of loss, resilience, and a heart that refuses to stop fighting for the people he loves.

In July of last year, Mike and his wife, Katrina, experienced every parent’s worst nightmare. Their first son, Callum Michael McSherry, was stillborn just days before his due date due to a sudden cord accident. As Mike described it, their world was “completely and utterly shattered.” The grief was immense, yet Mike found himself surrounded by an outpouring of love and support from friends across the auto industry—people who showed up for him and Katrina in their darkest hour.

For many, grief is a deeply personal journey, and it can be difficult to share those experiences publicly. But Mike made the brave decision to open up about Callum’s passing, not just with close friends and family, but with his entire professional network. He shared his story on LinkedIn, calling on his industry connections to help him honor Callum in a special way: by supporting his participation in the 2024 Chicago Marathon to raise money for the March of Dimes.

“I’m running for Callum, my family, and all the precious babies gone too soon,” Mike wrote. The March of Dimes, the nation's leading nonprofit dedicated to improving the health of moms and babies, has been a source of hope for countless families like Mike’s. His goal was not just to run but to contribute to positive change for families facing similar heart-wrenching losses.

Despite battling injuries leading up to the race, Mike pushed through and finished the marathon, showing the same resilience and determination that has marked his entire journey through grief. And the response was overwhelming—thanks to the generosity of his supporters, Mike surpassed his initial fundraising goal, raising over $30,000 for the March of Dimes. “Grief takes everything from you,” he shared. “I’m fighting to take it back and then some.”

What makes Mike’s story so impactful is not just his personal strength, but the way his experience has resonated with so many others in the auto industry. It’s a reminder that this community is about more than just business—it’s about people. The people we work with, the families we go home to, and the causes we champion along the way. As Mike said, “In this industry, we love people more than we love cars.”

At ASOTU, we celebrate stories like Mike’s because they reflect the very heart of what we stand for—lifting up one another and making the world a better place, one small step at a time. Mike’s journey reminds us that no matter the challenge, we are part of a community that rallies together, supporting each other through every mile, whether it's in business or in life.

If you’d like to support Mike and his mission to improve outcomes for moms and babies, his fundraiser remains open until the end of the year.