A shout out to Maria Weimert, a true fighter in a cruel world

I don't really believe in God. I mean, maybe I do. I guess I don't know. What I do believe in the power of positive energy, and I thought I'd just throw a little shout out to one of my best friends, Shandy Weimert, who has spent the better part of the last three months or so fighting alongside her new baby girl, Maria.

Maria was born premature, and  has since struggled with intestinal issues (which has required surgery on her tiny body), blood oxygen problems (which means she needs to be put on a ventilator) and other stuff. Maria is a tough little kid and I'm sure she's going to be fine with all the love and family she's been surrounded with.

But if you get some, send some positive vibes her way. If prayer is how you do it, go for it. If you meditate, that'll work, too. This family means a lot to our family, and they deserve every bit of help they can get.

Shandy has another child, too. HIs name is Noah and he's in the same age as my son. Noah has become almost a part of our family. He and my son are really good friends, and Noah spends a lot of time at our house. We're happy to have him.

The winter before Noah came into our life, we sat down with our son as he penned his letter to Santa. I'll never forget what it said, because to this day it makes me get a little emotional. His request was simple. He didn't want a bike, didn't want a football, didn't want a Red Rider BB gun. What Sam asked for from Santa was a friend.

When I read that, I didn't know whether to hug Sam for giving me a memory that will last a lifetime, or shoot myself in the head because I'd clearly failed to make sure my boy was getting along OK in school. I mean, he was. He's always been bright. But I guess we'd sort of missed the boat on some other stuff.

I  opted for the hug, and we helped Sam mail his letter to Santa. A few weeks after Christmas, Santa delivered.

Noah, it seemed, had started to pal around with Sam. And within a few weeks, Sam was coming home from school and day care talking about all the fun he was having with Noah. I know Sam was young, but for him, finding Noah was a life-changing discovery. Would he have found someone else? Of course. But he found Noah, a super kid who is polite and sticks up for Sam and other kids, and our family found their family and now Shandy is not only one of my favorite people, but she's one of my best friends.

So, if you get a minute, send some vibes in Maria's direction. She's staying at the University of Minnesota hospital in Minneapolis, and she's the latest addition to a great family, one that has had a very meaningful impact on ours.

Plus, she's damn cute. And I really want to squeeze her cheeks once she's out of the woods and living safely in Mankato.