InTheNews

SMU Cox Entrepreneur Begins New Venture After Life-Altering Experience with SIDS (SMU COX Today Magazine)

SMU Cox Entrepreneur Begins New Venture After Life-Altering Experience with SIDS

Bill Darnell (Cox BBA ’98) has a talent for start-up ventures.  While still in college, he founded Zoobee Inc., a manufacturer of watches featuring photographs by world renowned nature and animal photographer, Art Wolfe, that were stocked in virtually every zoo in the United States, Disney's Animal Kingdom and the Endangered Species retail chain.

Bill was featured in Entrepreneur magazine in 1999 as a “Rising Star” and again in 2001 for his successful and unique marketing techniques.  Following the company’s triumphant launch, Zoobee began manufacturing and distributing watches designed to teach children how to tell time. Zoobee trademarked “Time Teaching Watches by Zoobee” and sold the watches at more than 30,000 toy stores, gift shops, and school supply stores across America, as well as online through Amazon.com.

Family Channels SIDS Grief Toward Helping Others (Guideposts Magazine)

Bill and Cheryl Darnell founded SIDS America after they lost their infant son. By Sarah Beldo

One Saturday morning, Bill and Cheryl Darnell found themselves living a parent's worst nightmare.

Cheryl went to wake their infant son, Billy, who was nearly five months old, and instead found his lifeless body laying in his crib, a victim of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

The shock was intensified because there were no warning signs before Billy's tragic death, and they were left with no explanation.

“With so many hopes and dreams shattered, we simply couldn’t imagine how life could possibly continue,” Cheryl explains.

Family Helps Grieving Parents Who Have Loss a Child to SIDS (NBC)

A couple is using their tragic experience to help families who have also lost children to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

SIDS America provides emotional support and financial help to grieving families. Bill and Cheryl Darnell launched the organization on what would have been their son's first birthday.

"I couldn't handle it, thinking, 'We're sitting here paying for our son's death before we've even paid off all of his birth bills,'" Cheryl Darnell said. "And that was really hard, too. And I know we're not the only ones who have to deal with that, too."

Billy, the couple's first son, died on a Saturday morning. He was only 5 months old.