Jadyn’s Legacy: A Family’s Journey from Heartbreak to Healing

INTEGRIS Health Gala 2022, In Rhythm, Supporting the INTEGRIS Health Heart Hospital

Fifteen Days of Love

Fifteen days. That’s all the time Clay and Maria Griffin had with their daughter, Jadyn.

Born at just 25 weeks and weighing a little over a pound, Jadyn was so small she could fit in the palms of her parents’ hands. Though her life was short, it left a profound impact—not just on her family, but on the many NICU families the Griffins have supported since.

Because Jadyn was their fourth child born prematurely, the Griffins were no strangers to the NICU. They had faced tubes, wires, sleepless nights and long waiting room hours before. “We got this,” they told each other. “We’ve been through this in the NICU.”

Each evening, the entire family made their way to the hospital’s fourth floor. The waiting room became a second home. While the older children did homework, the parents traded visits with their fragile newborn, hoping she would come home like her sisters before her.

Jadyn managed to achieve a few small milestones. But one morning, Maria and Clay received the call they feared most:
“You need to come to the hospital right now.”

A Moment That Changed Everything

Jadyn’s breathing had worsened. The machines were struggling to keep her alive.

“How much time does she have?” Clay asked a nurse. There was no clear answer.

Up until then, Jadyn had been too delicate to hold. But in that moment, Clay knew what needed to happen:
“I knew Maria needed to hold her.”

A nurse gently disconnected the ventilators and placed Jadyn in her mother’s arms—for the very first and last time.

Surrounded by love, Jadyn took her final breath.

“It was hard. It was really hard,” Maria shared. “Afterwards you have this … I’m not even sure how to describe it – but this heaviness. You can’t breathe.”

Finding Hope Through Community

In the months following their loss, the Griffins found comfort in the PRIDE Program (Parents Responding to Infant Death Experience) at INTEGRIS Health—a support group for families grieving the death of a baby. The program holds an annual October memorial service, where families can gather in remembrance. Each child is honored with a brick, and some families have been attending for over 20 years.

“That’s kind of where we started to get involved with the Foundation and our support for the NICU,” Clay shared. “We found out that the memorial service and memorial bricks were being paid for by NICU nurses, and we wanted to support them and give back.”

A Sculpture of Healing

At their first PRIDE memorial service, the Griffins heard about plans to renovate the Temple Baby Memorial Garden, including a new sculpture. They contributed to the creation of Heartbroken, a sculpture designed to symbolize the pain of infant loss—and the healing that follows.

From the front, the piece displays a jagged, heart-shaped hole. But as the shape continues through to the back, the edges become smoother—showing the passage of time and the process of healing.

“It’s not that it goes away,” Clay said. “But over time we begin to heal.”

Jadyn’s Legacy, 11 Years Later

More than a decade has passed since those 15 days, but Jadyn’s legacy is alive. Her story has inspired the Griffins to support countless NICU families with the same care and compassion they received.

Their message is clear: You’re not alone.
And thanks to donors like them—and like you—INTEGRIS Health can continue to support grieving families with empathy, resources, and the hope of healing.

Make a difference for NICU families like Jadyn’s.
Your gift today helps provide comfort, care, and connection when families need it most.

Your generosity keeps care going — even after patients leave the hospital.

Story by Zoee Zuerker