HENRY COUNTY, Ga. — Family matters to Alex Maddox. From the moment she married her husband, Chase, from their first look on the track of Atlanta Motor Speedway, to his last breath, Alex lived in the moment.
"I’m so thankful we didn’t understand the heaviness of his job and what that could possibly mean for our family," Alex said. "In the grand scheme of things, we just wanted to be a family. One of the many things Chase taught me was a mantra, and he always said the good will always outweigh the bad."
Chase was a Locust Grove police officer killed in the line of duty in 2018 while trying to serve a search warrant. The gunman tied to the shooting died. Chase also served in the Army Reserve. Four days after Chase died, Alex gave birth to their son, Bodie. Four years later, Alex's eldest son Bradin passed away at the age of 12 after battling a rare congenital brain abnormality.
The loss marked another mile on the road paved with tragedy, but Alex constantly reminds herself of the mantra her late husband taught her.
"Our family has taken a couple of really hard hits," Alex said. "But I have learned joy is gladness despite your circumstances."
The family has since found new purpose in a full-circle moment, fueled by Jockey, Trackhouse Racing and the nonprofit Folds of Honor, which helps families of fallen and disabled veterans and first responders. Folds of Honor bestowed a scholarship to Alex to pursue schooling.
"I decided to go back to school, and I'm going for communications to hopefully help other 27-year-old widows who might not know which way is up to show them life can go on and it should go on," Alex said. “It has given me a sense of community, a sense of family. It truly is incredible to know that my husband’s sacrifice counts and that everyone still wants to remember him just as much as I do.”
Alex and her youngest son Bodie are in Chicago, getting a look at NASCAR driver Daniel Suarez's Number 99 Chevrolet that will run in Sunday's Cup Series race. The race will be televised on 11Alive. Bodie climbed in the car, taking in the scene. In honor of Chase, the car will have the Maddox name painted on it. It's all a reminder to Alex of the mantra by which she lives life.
"When everybody watches Chase Maddox's name go around that track, I want them to remember his life and sacrifice," Alex said. “It’s overwhelmingly heartwarming, and I know that might sound a little cliché, but it feels like Chase is close, and it feels like he had a hand in making this experience happen for him. It's incredible how relevant Chase is to this day and that he continues to do good."