Troy and Melinda Hicks remind us that adventure can look like a cone head at baggage claim, a drone-towed Dementor over the neighborhood, or a late-night phone call that restarts a love story. Their world is playful and deeply grounded in faith, and that blend fuels a creative life aimed at lifting others. Their Instagram, @hicksinthewild, didn’t begin as a brand play; it grew from a desire to share family-friendly fun and a Christ-centered tradition they created for their kids. The Searching for Jesus box turned December into a daily practice of wonder, teaching prayer and purpose through small rituals. Behind the skits are two partners who split roles with precision: Melinda dreams and builds, Troy systems and ships, both committed to creating joy that serves a mission.
Photos Courtesy of Melinda and Troy Hicks
That mission runs through pain. They lost their first son, Tanner, at 24 weeks after a sudden, traumatic preterm labor while visiting family out of state. The NICU gave them three days of hope and heartbreak. Faith didn’t erase the ache; it gave them language to carry it, a path to rage safely at God, and eventually to heal enough to remember with tenderness. Small mercies mattered: a donated blanket and cap that fit a one-pound baby, a father in the funeral industry who knew the next steps when no parent should have to. Those mercies became a calling. Melinda now sews tiny blankets and diaper covers, gifting dignity and warmth to families who arrive unprepared for the unimaginable. The work is love made useful.
Two years later, their second son faced a different fear: a large neck tumor revealed by a droopy eyelid and mismatched pupils. Hospitals can trigger old grief, and the week until surgery stretched long. Then, relief—complete removal, no chemo, and a healthy boy who now plays with a daredevil little brother. That arc changed how they see hospitals, too: places of skill, kindness, and second chances. They give two percent of revenue to Phoenix Children’s Hospital and hope to widen that circle as their projects grow. Their dream is simple and ambitious: build businesses as a family, provide sustainably, and tie every venture to tangible good.
Creativity is their shared language. Airport costumes, Lord Farquaad bits, and a months-long quest to coax a bird to land on Melinda’s seed bowl aren’t just for views; they’re excuses to date each other, to schedule delight, to recover play when life gets heavy. They speak honestly about the hard parts—pregnancy nausea and anxiety after loss, missed posts, and the stress of a messy house. They counter it with clear recommitments: weekly date nights, projects that must feel fun, and a bias for action even when the outcome is unknown. Adventure, to them, is risk with purpose: moving forward without knowing every hazard, trusting that faith and partnership will meet the surprises on the trail. 
Their legacy vision ties it all together. They want to expand the Searching for Jesus line into seasons like Easter, continue giving to causes tied to their story, and involve their kids in making things that matter. The puzzle pieces fit: she brings the spark, he brings the structure, and together they turn laughter into service. Their message to anyone watching is disarmingly practical: choose joy on ordinary days; make something small and kind; let grief teach you how to help; and keep showing up for each other. The wild, it turns out, might be your living room, your local NICU, your kitchen table—any place where love gets to work.
