“When You’re Prepared to Die, You Live Better.”

About a decade ago, Hayley Hughes sat with one of her first hospice patients and witnessed a moment that would change her life forever.

The man—gentle, wise, and very near death—had asked Hayley to help him complete his hospice paperwork. His wife and daughter waited outside while he calmly signed every form. When it was done, he called them in. His daughter curled onto his lap like a little girl. His wife pressed her head to his chest. And as Willie Nelson’s “Angels Flying Too Close to the Ground” played in the background, he looked at them both and said, “My life, it has been such a gift. Knowing each of you is the greatest gift.”

Moments later, he died.

“It was heart-wrenching and inspiring. Soul-crushing and beautiful,” Hayley recalls. “It was everything I had feared about death—and everything I had hoped.”

In that room, Hayley didn’t just witness a good death. She witnessed the power of clarity. Of peace. Of having nothing left unsaid. And she made a commitment that day—to live more deliberately, and to help others do the same.

Hayley Hughes is a mother of two, a hospice executive, certified Death Doula, amateur birdwatcher, scuba diver, regular live music patron, and a woman with a deep respect for both the facts and poetry of death. After decades in end-of-life care, Hayley saw the same pattern again and again: people unsure what mattered, families left guessing, goodbyes missed.

Then her own grandmother—Jeane—called. Lucid for the first time in weeks, she asked Hayley and her children to visit. “She needed to say goodbye,” Hayley says. And she did. She met her great-granddaughter for the first and last time, gave treasured gifts, and passed peacefully days later.

Hayley had seen both ends of the spectrum. But she knew most people never got a moment like that.

“Most deaths don’t come with closure,” she says. “They’re drawn out, or they’re sudden. There’s no great monologue. There’s just the mess of real life.”

That’s why Hayley created Deathwishes—a space built to hold the words, wishes, and reflections we often leave unsaid. A place to pass on stories, objects, music, and meaning. To let your people know what matters. And to leave behind something that actually reflects who you are.

Deathwishes isn’t a legal will. It’s not a stack of sterile medical forms. It’s a practical, personal platform for sharing your real-life wishes—while you still can.

“I’m not a guru,” Hayley says. “I’m a person who understands that when you’re prepared to die, you live better.”

Meet the Humans Behind Deathwishes

Deathwishes is brought to life by a team with deep roots in hospice care, funeral services, product innovation, and brand development.

Hayley Hughes, Founder – is a longtime hospice executive and certified Death Doula. Her career has been dedicated to making the end of life more meaningful for individuals and families—and she created Deathwishes to bring that same care to a wider audience.

Hailey Lowder, Co-founder – leads concept development and operations, shaping both the brand and the user experience. With a strong background in startups and funeral service, Lowder’s leadership ensures that every part of Deathwishes reflects its mission to make death planning approachable and empowering.

Andrew Germer, Head of Product & Marketing – brings the brains behind the build. He pairs deep research with creative strategy to ensure the app not only works beautifully but connects with real people’s needs and emotions.

Adrienne Leland, Head of Community – leads the boots-on-the-ground marketing strategy. With over a decade in brand and event work, she’s helping Deathwishes show up in Austin—and beyond—in all the right ways.

Together, this team is creating something that’s never existed before—a bold, accessible, modern platform that turns end-of-life planning into an act of love, not dread.

And we’re just getting started.