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Help Jaimy's Boys Go to College

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Jaimy Burdine-Tillie Memorial College Fund

            This fund is being established as memorial to our hero, Jaimy Burdine-Tillie, who died protecting her infant son, Stylz.  All funds will be invested in 529 college savings accounts to make sure Jaimy's boys are able to go to college.

On Easter Sunday, 2015, Jaimy Burdine-Tillie and her mother took Jaimy’s infant son, Stylz, on a carriage ride.  Riding in the horse-drawn buggy has always been one of Stylz’s favorite things, and he was happy and giggling as they clopped down their rural neighborhood road Southwest of Phoenix that day.  Then something happened to spook the horse, and he bolted, careening down the road at a full run.  As Vikki tried to bring the horse under control, Jaimy clutched Stylz tightly.  Apparently fearing the buggy was about to overturn, Jaimy wrapped Stylz in her arms and leapt from the wagon.  Her main objective was clearly to protect her baby, and she succeeded in that mission.  As inertia took her off her feet, she maneuvered to keep Stylz above her, so as she hit the ground, her body cushioned him and kept him from serious harm.

A neighbor who saw the drama unfold, initially thought it was a backpack Jaimy was clutching as she jumped, but as he ran toward her, he realized it was a baby.  He ran to Stylz, who reached out to him, crying, but with no signs of serious injury.  He then rushed to Jaimy’s side where she was frantically struggling to get up.  He said that as soon as Jaimy saw the baby, she quit struggling, and calmly closed her eyes.

Other neighbors rushed for help from the nearby fire station, bringing paramedics and soon, a life-flight helicopter.  Jaimy was flown to Good Samaritan, where they eventually determined that there was no longer any brainwave activity.  At just 33-years old, Jaimy was gone.  Stylz was flown to Phoenix Children’s Hospital to verify that he had no hidden injuries.  His great-grandmother accompanied him for the flight and said he wasn’t afraid at all, looking out the window in wonder as the ground fell away beneath them.

Jaimy wanted to be an organ donor, so for the next three days her body was kept functioning on a life-support system in order to preserve her organs.  During that time, her mother, and her boyfriend, Jonathan, kept vigil by her side, unable to let go while her heart was still beating.  Finally, on Stylz’s first Birthday, Wednesday, April 8, with transplant recipients waiting in adjoining operating rooms, the ventilator was disconnected, and Jaimy’s final physical gifts to this earth were taken to their grateful recipients.

It is our understanding that seven different people and seven worried families received those gifts, and it is our fervent prayer that the transplants take, and these people live long, productive, and happy lives, bringing much joy to their families, and honor to Jaimy’s gifts of life.

The other important gifts she left us, along with our love and memories, are her sons, Bishop, 13, and Stylz.

Jaimy was a struggling, single mom, living with her mother, and trying to get her life together in the face of a variety of health challenges.  She was obviously doing something right because Bishop is a fine young man, an honor student and gifted athlete, and an exemplary big brother. 

Jaimy’s doctors had told her that her health issues would not allow her to have another child after Bishop, and she had poured all of her love and attention into Bishop for eleven years when a miracle occurred, and she realized that the doctors had been wrong.

With the birth of Stylz, Jaimy faced new challenges, but with the loving support of friends and family, and help from her boyfriend, Jonathan, she found new springs of love and hope as she looked to the future.  She had dreams of Bishop attending ASU, and Stylz following after, but neither she, nor the families, had the resources to start a college fund, and she had no life insurance.

We created this funding page in hopes of building a good foundation to which the family and friends can continue contributing as we can over the coming years to make a college education more attainable for them when the time comes.  We invite you to help us with this goal.

There is another fund that has been set up to assist Jaimy’s family with immediate needs.  That fund can be found here: http://www.gofundme.com/rjpm5wk.

Regardless of whether you are able to contribute to either fund, we thank you for your concern and your prayers, and we thank God for the many gifts that Jaimy has given us all.  My wife Janet and I are most especially thankful for the health and safety of our beautiful grandson Stylz.  Thank you Jaimy.

Organizer

Jeff Knox
Organizer
Buckeye, AZ

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