About
The Koenig family of Richmond, MN wanted a way to honor their son, Nicholas, while making an impact in the lives of those affected by pediatric cancer. As a result, they created the Nicholas P. Koenig H.E.R.O. Foundation. This is not a memorial; this is a movement.
H.E.R.O stands for Help and Encouragement on Rough Oceans.
Erik and Shannon Koenig became parents on April 6, 2007 as they welcomed Nicholas into their family. While their sweet, baby boy entered the world on Good Friday, Erik and Shannon wouldn’t bring him home until nearly two months later. Before Nicholas and Shannon were cleared to go home, Nicholas was diagnosed with Pulmonary Atresia, meaning his pulmonary valve did not develop properly, and his heart was incapable of keeping blood flowing through his body.
Before Nicholas was one month old, he received open heart surgery. After five weeks spent recovering at the University of Minnesota’s Masonic Children’s Hospital, Nicholas came home.
Legacies are about what is left behind when someone leaves.
Shannon and Erik remembered the many struggles their family had overcome, but they also remembered the times filled with joy and laughter. The Koenig's realized that Nicholas’s incredible life could be more than a reminder of loss and heartache. Nicholas’s life, and the people who loved him, could be the catalyst for something great.