About Larry and Sherry Swank
Enduring every parent’s worst nightmare: the loss of a child
On Sunday, December 7, 2003, Sherry Swank posed with her husband Larry for the first and only picture they would take as a family of four. The next day, her firstborn child was killed in a terrible accident, leaving his newborn sister an only child and his parents forever changed.
The devastation of losing their son Jaxson William Augustus Swank, only a month shy of his second birthday, left the couple grasping for answers on how to carry on as a family. But instead of losing hope, Larry and Sherry vowed to become a better, stronger version of themselves, no matter how long it would take for that vision to come to fruition. A year later, they saw a path forward.
One day, Larry, a multifamily industry leader and pioneer in providing rural housing solutions throughout the Midwest for over 50 years, approached Sherry with an idea for a new, very different type of project: to start a nonprofit to honor Jaxson. It was a vision that would change their community and family forever, and Sherry knew right away the answer was “Yes.”
Turning tragedy into a legacy of enduring hope
A family foundation built to help others
In 2004, the couple co-founded the Jaxson William Augustus Swank Foundation (JWAS) to carry on their son’s legacy through helping other children live life to the fullest. They set out to provide financial aid for children in need, beginning in preschool, all the way through college.
On the organization’s recent 20-year anniversary, Sherry reflected on the many lives the foundation has uplifted since its founding, none perhaps more profoundly than her own. “As a mother who recently lost her firstborn, the foundation provided hope and excitement that Jaxson would remain alive not only in Larry’s and my heart, but also in the hearts and lives of the many children that would become Jaxson Scholars,” Sherry shared with JWAS families.
Through their writing and advocacy work, Sherry and Larry share more about how establishing a nonprofit helped their family heal, with the hopes of inspiring others who have lost a child.
Sharing Their Story to Inspire Others
Larry and Sherry aim to help parents who are navigating the loss of a child to feel seen, understood, and most importantly, inspired to find their own unique way to honor the love that will forever be in their hearts. Through speaking engagements and grief advocacy events, Larry and Sherry’s powerful personal story acts as a guiding light for others.