Support Vivian's Family After Tragic Loss

Our daughter, Vivian Jaymes Gardner, was brutally assaulted by our babysitter's husband after she was left alone with him. Vivi spent two weeks at Dayton Children's Hospital on life support fighting to recover from her injuries. The neurologists that treated her said it was the worst brain injury they had ever seen. She never regained consciousness, and it is with profound sadness that we share that our sweet, beautiful, precious, funny, and magnetic angel was called home by the Lord on December 19, 2024 at 12:28 a.m. while being held in her mother’s arms and surrounded by her loving family.

From her service:

"When I sat down to write this, I had no idea where to even begin. How do you sum up the life or express the impact of a 15-month-old daughter with mere words and a few sentences? My uncle Dan called me shortly after Vivi had passed and told me about a funeral he attended recently for the loss of a small child, and how amazed he was as the family handled the loss with grace and though hurting, seemed at peace. We do NOT want our daughter to be remembered for how she died, but for how she lived, how she touched others, and brought them together. She was joy, light, love, and laughter personified, and THAT is what we want to celebrate. Instead of a eulogy, I want to offer story time.

Even before you met her, one look could tell you everything you needed to know… fiery red hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a mischievous grin… she was definitely her mother’s daughter. Tori’s love for that girl is palpable. She would agonize over having to leave her to do even the most minor thing and would embrace her tightly as soon as she returned as if they’d been separated for years. Tori always talked about how she felt like something was missing after most of her family passed, and our child was the missing piece that made her feel whole for the first time in a long time. Vivian had finally started giving kisses, but there were certain rules. She would kiss her mother once, but she would wait until Tori clapped and said “Yay Vivi” before she’d give her a second one. If she asked for a third, Vivi would raise her hand as if she were going to give her a “knuckle sammich”… that was her limit.

Vivian was always active and always making noise, so if things ever got quiet, we knew she was up to something. Tori had come home from celebrating Trevor and Cohen’s birthday, and they brought home cupcakes from the gathering to share later. When things went silent for too long, Tori called out for her, and she saw her “skedaddle” away… a kind of bow legged run she’d use to escape. After she was finally caught, she was discovered covered in chocolate cupcake, smiling, and feeling very pleased with herself. It was Vivi’s world, and we were just in it. Vivian always wanted to help clean up, even if it meant throwing away mommy’s keys or other important items. When Tori would be getting for ready for work, Vivi would drop toys, pacifiers, or other items into her purse unbeknownst to her mother. Tori would reach into her bag and find her morning surprise, and then place it on her desk as a reminder of her little one (she has quite the collection). At Thanksgiving, Tori was lying on the couch and Vivian decided to sit on her chest. Tori thought she was wanting to cuddle and be close with her, but she sat up, farted on her chest, and laughed so hard she threw her head backwards and almost rolled off the couch.

Her absolute favorite human being on earth was Evelyn. She would follow her around the house like a puppy dog. Every night before bed, they would have a dance party and Vivi would try her very best to imitate her. One time, Evelyn was doing cart wheels and Vivian sat in awe as she bounded around the living room. Vivian wanted to impress her big sister, so she backed up to a couch cushion that was on the floor, threw herself backwards with her legs spread, and rolled off the back of the cushion to her feet, as if to say to “Hey Evey, I’m just like you”. Even when they would annoy each other and Evelyn would go to her room and shut the door, Vivi would sit patiently outside her door and continue knocking until she finally let her in. They were connected on a spiritual level, made for each other, and bonded for eternity.

Her bonus Dad Chris tried his very best not to get attached, but all it took was holding her for the first time and he fell in love. He has a service dog, so Vivian affectionately referred to him as “dog-dog”. Anytime he would come by, Vivi would try to steal something from him… hats, keys, sunglasses… anything she could get her hands on. It got so bad that he would either have to hide things or leave them in the car so she wouldn’t get a hold of it. Her other favorite thing was to scare him. Instead of putting her hands over her eyes to play peek-a-boo, she would put them on top of her head, absolutely sure that no one could see her. Then when she would take her hands off of her head, he would act surprised and she would have the best giggle in the world.

When things were wrapping up for the night, Vivian would come to her mother and continue saying “Hi Dad”, which meant it was time to call me to say good night. Oddly enough, her favorite thing to do was to call me, spend a minute or two on the phone, and then immediately hang up… and she would do this multiple times before she finally went to bed. Vivian was a big foodie, and she loved to try just about anything once just like her Papaw Kiefer. We grilled out for Memorial Day and I wanted to make it special for her, so I bought her a filet mignon. Tori was convinced it was a waste and that she wouldn’t eat it at all. I sat down on the floor, cut it up into tiny pieces, and started feeding it to her. She was sitting about a foot away to start, but with each bite she would scoot closer, until she was sitting in my lap because I wasn’t feeding her fast enough. We were having dinner one night and I had a soda with the meal. Vivian seemed very interested in finding out what was in the cup, so I asked Tori if it was ok to give her a sip. Tori explained that Evelyn is 10 and she’s never had pop, so she didn’t want her 1-year-old having any either. After some cajoling, I finally got permission to let her have a taste and she took her first sip. She made this funny face like she didn’t like it, but then lit up and attacked the straw… so yes, it is totally my fault she loved Diet Coke. She absolutely LOVED anything that could be dipped, but only if she got to do the dipping. On a separate visit, Tori had to be at work early the following morning, so I told her to go to bed and that I would take care of getting Vivi to sleep. Tori wakes up around midnight to check on Vivian and what does she find… Vivi and I sitting on the floor watching Finding Nemo and stuffing our faces with pork tenderloin.

We miss her immensely, and nothing will ever replace the hole in our hearts we feel with every waking breath. We find comfort in knowing our fathers, grandparents, and all the family that went before her waited as she entered the gates of heaven. She is in a place where there is no more pain, evil, suffering, or want. We know that one day, we will be reunited with her and be able to love on her once again. She is in a place that is light, love, and laughter… our precious angel is home."

I've never created a GoFundMe, I've never asked complete strangers for financial assistance, and I'm not even sure how much things are going to cost. We are asking for help in covering our daughters funeral costs, medical bills, and lost wages we've already experienced and will experience when the case against her assailant goes to trial (her mother has already been out of work for almost 2 months grieving the loss). I'm sure there are a mountain of other things I haven't even considered, but those are our most substantial needs at the moment.

If you would like to view her obituary and tribute video, please visit this link: https://www.jamiesonandyannucci.com/obituary/VIVIAN-GARDNER

If you would like information about the case, please visit this link: https://www.whio.com/news/local/murder-charges-filed-against-man-accused-slamming-1-year-old-leading-her-death/HL4RGIIWLZG27LA2MWLMJKL74Q/