Melissa and I wanted to do a final post on Jaelyn’s Caring Bridge as we have had time to reflect on the past few weeks.

On April 24, 2021, God received the most amazing, beautiful young woman into his arms. Jaelyn was surrounded by her boyfriend Taylor and her family that love her so much. We all held Jaelyn in our arms when her heart took its last beat. It was the hardest thing to experience. We all knew she went to a place where she would be at peace, feel no pain, be carefree, able to sing loudly, and dance to her own cadence. This was what Jaelyn had always strived for, not only for her, but for everyone.

 As Jaelyn’s parents, this is something we thought we would never have to go through. We are at a loss for words. We do not know what to say to people or how to respond. One thing we know for sure is that all of you have held us so close to your hearts and have guided us through the pain that comes with losing a young daughter. We have been overwhelmed by all the love, support, flowers, plants, gifts, money, prayers and so much more that we can’t even think of. In the next few weeks, we will be sending personal gratitude notes to all that have been there for us. We know there might be some that are missed, but please know that we are eternally grateful for you.

As for Melissa, Chris, Marcus, Lucas, Trey, Brady, Taylor, and our families; it would be a lie to say that we are doing okay. At times, we are sad, angry, tired, emotionless. When one is down, the other one stands strong behind them to let them know what they are feeling is okay. It is becoming very apparent to me that it is okay to feel these emotions and that there is no road map on how we are supposed to feel or how we are supposed to heal. For me, it is too easy to keep it bottled in, but I need to keep telling myself that this is not healthy, and it is okay to be vulnerable. Writing these posts actually helps me connect with myself, our family, and our friends.

In closing, We, Jaelyn’s family, are so grateful for the continued love and support you all have given us. Jaelyn has kept all of you in her heart and she knows that you all love her as she has loved all of you.

With gratitude,

Melissa and Lucas  

“Jaelyn deserved the world, but the world didn’t deserve her.”

         ~Trey Theobald