Jazmine Elane Reiter was born on December 17, 2018. From the very beginning, she touched countless hearts with her radiant joy, gentle spirit, and extraordinary bravery.

At just six months old, Jazmine was diagnosed with infant leukemia. What followed was a 10-month battle that would reveal more strength and resilience than most see in a lifetime. Despite enduring countless blood product transfusions, bone marrow aspirations, intensive chemotherapy treatments, and long hospital stays, she faced each day with courage, and a smile that could truly light up any room.

Jazmine was always such a happy baby. She gave the very best hugs, the kind you never wanted to let go of. She loved sneaking her mom’s cans of soda, singing and dancing whenever she could, and filling every space with pure joy. Even in the hospital, she remained bright, playful, and full of life.

She spent the majority of those 10 months living in the hospital. She was only able to come home a few different times, and only for short stays while waiting for her blood counts to recover before beginning another round of treatment. Though the hospital became her primary home, we made sure it truly felt like one.

Her hospital linens were required to be changed daily, but we never used the standard scratchy hospital sheets. She had her own soft linens and her own blankets. We brought in plastic rolling drawers to serve as her dresser. She wore her own clothes and pajamas every day. The only time she wore a hospital gown was for procedures, and it came off immediately afterward. She had her own toys, her own books, and we read and sang to her daily.

We made certain she received physical therapy and occupational therapy so she would not fall too far behind developmentally. She also participated in music therapy and pet therapy, moments that brought light and comfort into long hospital days.

Jazmine loved books. She loved music. We believe her favorite color was yellow because she could clearly say the word “yellow.” She didn’t verbalize many words, but “yellow” was one of them. She was also able to pronounce her sister Abigail’s name, something many people didn’t believe at first, because it’s such a difficult name for little ones to say, especially when she wasn’t speaking many other words.

On May 5, 2020, at just 16 months old, Jazmine passed away surrounded by her loving family. Though her time here was short, her strength, joy, and the love she gave so freely continue to inspire everyone who hears her story.

To read more about her journey from the time of diagnosis, her story is shared in the book Jazmine's Journey, available on Amazon.