Firefly Forts: Georgia mom reopens business to honor late husband
Georgia widow reopens family business in memory of husband
A Georgia mom has reopened her family's small business, channeling her grief into building intentional backyard spaces for families after her husband died of terminal cancer.
ATLANTA - A grieving mother has made the powerful decision to reopen Firefly Forts in Metro Atlanta, turning her personal loss into a mission to build intentional memory-making spaces for other families in honor of her late husband's spirit.
What we know:
When hospitals and industries shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, medical industry worker Mike Scaglione found himself with unexpected downtime and built a backyard fort for his children.
His wife, Kristin Scaglione, recalled that they were simply trying to get their kids off screens, get them outside and help them grow up the way they did. The backyard structure quickly became the anchor of their daily lives, serving as a peaceful place to connect and spend intentional time together as a family.
After seeing how the fort brought their family closer together, the couple decided they wanted to recreate that experience for others and founded Firefly Forts.
The venture was named after a milestone from July 2019, when the family relocated from Florida to Georgia. On their first night in their new home, the children ran around the backyard chasing fireflies, experiencing a level of pure joy their parents had never seen in them before. Mike Scaglione wanted the business's hand-built forts to evoke that exact same magic for other families.
The small family business grew rapidly for four years across Metro Atlanta until September 2023, when tragedy struck and Mike Scaglione was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 cancer at just 44 years old.
The family immediately paused operations and closed the business to cherish their remaining time together before he passed away in March 2025.
What we don't know:
Officials and family members have not confirmed the exact date the business officially restarted operations or how many new installations have been completed since the reopening.
What they're saying:
Kristin Scaglione admitted she was initially hesitant to run the venture without her partner, noting that they used to handle everything together with a great balance. "I wasn't really sure if I could do it without him, but I spent a lot of time praying on it and thinking about it," she said. "And I just felt this pulling to keep it going."
She explained that building these spaces is a beautiful way to pay it forward and keep his memory alive. "I feel like by building these forts and giving these families places to be intentional with their time, spend time together and make memories is a beautiful way to honor him," she said. "That's how he lived his life."
As Firefly Forts expands once again, she finds comfort in the craftsmanship and feels his presence woven into every single beam. "Every time we finish a fort, I feel him, you know," she reflected. "I think he's proud of me. Yeah. You know, he was someone that was so intentional with his time. He was a wonderful father. He was a wonderful husband. And he always was about making memories and having fun. And, you know, I think that me doing this for other families is exactly what he would be wanting me to do."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from business owner Kristin Scaglione, who explained how the venture started and shared her family's journey through grief, as well as official Firefly Forts company history details.