The Promise We Made

From the Deepest Loss, a Legacy of Love

When Larry and Sherry Swank lost their son Jaxson at twenty-two months old, the grief was all-consuming. But in the darkness of that first night, they made a promise: they would find a way to give their son’s brief, radiant life lasting meaning.

The Promise We Made: Transforming Grief into a Force for Good tells the story of how that promise became the JWAS Foundation, an organization providing full scholarships, leadership development, and whole-family support to children from preschool through college.

Inside, readers will discover:

• How the Swanks turned devastating loss into a thriving foundation
• The Trilogy of Care model that supports scholars, parents, and families together
• Practical lessons in building a purpose-driven nonprofit from the ground up
• How faith, community, and intention can carry you through the unimaginable
• Stories from the Jaxson Scholars and families whose lives have been transformed

Written with vulnerability and warmth, this book is for anyone who has faced profound loss and wondered whether joy and purpose could ever return. The answer, the Swanks discovered, is yes.