Bloomfield’s Jessica Lauderdale carries on daughter’s legacy of love

Jessica Lauderdale of Bloomfield was nominated as a Difference Maker by Richard Nichols of Switz City.

“Jessica’s tireless efforts to honor and preserve the legacy and memory of her daughter Jaden are truly inspirational,” said Nichols.

Lauderdale’s daughter Jaden, the first winner of the Greene County Daily World’s Bright Futures contest in 2017 for her selfless devotion to improve the lives of kids she would never meet, passed away at age 14 on June 18, 2017, while waiting for a donor heart to become available to replace the faulty organ she had been born with.

While residing at Riley Hospital, Jaden began, with assistance of her family, to make and sell treats in order to raise funds for a $62,000 indoor playground for Riley patients.

A driven and determined young lady, Jaden Lauderdale accomplished her goal, raising an astonishing $10,000 through her bake sale and other fundraisers and, just days before her death, an anonymous donor contributed the remaining funds to assure Jaden’s playground would become a reality.

Although crushed by the death of her precious daughter, Lauderdale refused to allow Jaden’s dream to die, carrying on with an annual mud bog fundraiser and annual “Jaden’s Journey” 5K walk/run which together raise funds to endow an annual $500 scholarship in Jaden’s name through the Greene County Foundation.

A second scholarship in Jaden’s name will benefit each of the 67 members of Jaden’s class of 2022 at Bloomfield. Lauderdale is primarily funding this scholarship through proceeds from the sale of her book, “An Unjaded Heart: Jaden’s Journey”, which started as a cookbook by Jaden while she was at Riley. She had most of the recipes written out and her mom decided to write her inspiring story.

“I don’t want anyone to forget Jaden and all she was able to accomplish in her short life,” Lauderdale said. “I want to honor her and her memory. She brought out the strength and the good in all of us and that’s where I have found the strength, with the help of God, to carry on the tradition of giving she started.”

Nichols said he is not the only person to be touched and inspired by Lauderdale’s story.

“Her messages of hope and inspiration have extended far beyond the borders of Greene County as well,” Nichols said. “Flat Jaden, a photo taken of Jaden while in her hospital bed, has traveled internationally, carrying her brave story with it, and Jaden’s Playground at Riley is enjoyed by all who visit there.”

Started by a Bloomfield teacher, “Flat Jaden” was a sensation. Supporters carried the photo of the teen in parades, on their vacations to destinations near and far and to familiar places in Greene County, taking pictures with Flat Jaden at every stop to send to her namesake as she waited at Riley.

Jessica Lauderdale, who teaches at Bloomfield Elementary, continues to raise Jaden’s siblings, 13-year-old Alison and 11-year-old Bryson, with her husband of 22 years, Doug. Another sibling, 21-year-old Tara, married her longtime sweetheart Dustin in August.

Through the tireless efforts of Lauderdale and her network of supporters, another playground was recently dedicated, this one closer to home.

“Jaden wanted to fund an ADA-accessible playground at her school, Bloomfield Elementary,” Lauderdale said. Lauderdale and Bloomfield Elementary School Principal Matt Britton applied for a matching grant to the Greene County Foundation last fall, and the $70,000, all-inclusive ADA-compliant playground was dedicated in early September.

With so many goals met, Lauderdale said she will continue to fulfill the wishes of her late daughter and assure the spunky teen will never be forgotten as she continues to help others through the work of her mother.

“We can all learn from Jessica’s ‘never-give-up’ attitude,” Nichols said. “On the cover of her book, in capital letters, are the words ‘BE STRONG.’ I thank Jessica and Jaden for showing us all how to be strong and move forward through extreme adversity. Jessica’s work, inspired and driven by Jaden’s life, will continue to bless our community for generations. Jessica Lauderdale is everything a Difference Maker can be.”