Jasmine Rose LaFountain

Jasmine Rose LaFountain was born October 18th, 2016 at the United States Army Base, Fort Wainwright, which is located in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her father had followed in his own father's footsteps, and enlisted in the United States Army in 2014; and like his father, he has honorably served his country overseas. On November 20th, 2017, Jazzy had recently celebrated her first birthday. Her father was deployed to northern Iraq, and her grandparents lived nearby on base. On this day, just prior to our nation's celebration of Thanksgiving, Jazzy suffered an as yet undetermined but traumatic medical event at her home at Fort Wainwright. Upon being notified that Jazzy was not breathing, her grandfather immediately ran to her home and attempted to revive her until emergency medical personnel could arrive. Jazzy was taken by ambulance to Bassett Army Community Hospital, but due to her critical status she was medevaced to Providence Hospital of Anchorage Alaska. She was immediately admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and placed on life support. Jazzy was comatose until November 22nd when she was pronounced brain dead.

Jazzy's father had been notified of her grave condition and was enroute to Anchorage from theater;  after a brief delay in Kuwait, he arrived at his daughter's bedside on November 24th. Only then did he learn that his baby girl – his only child – would never recover. But with a father's love, despite his grief, he allowed Jazzy to be removed from life support. She passed away in his arms, near his heart with the sound of his voice.

The LaFountain family has received an outpouring of kind thoughts, sympathetic words, and heartfelt prayers on behalf of Jazzy, and for the void that this has created in their lives. Jazzy will be brought to her family's home state of Michigan where she will be interred with her great-grandfather at Breckenridge Cemetery of Gratiot County. This will occur as soon as it is feasible.

Jazzy's family has not solicited charitable contributions for this terrible loss, nor would they. Nothing can replace the priceless treasure that brought so much love and joy into their lives. It is on behalf of the suffering they endure that I have established this fund. It is intended to assist this family with funerary and memorial expenses and their associated costs, and provide Jazzy's father with whatever assistance he may require.