From Heartbreak to Healing
After losing their son, Sherry and Larry Swank transformed their grief into a mission of hope. This is the story of how they founded the JWAS Foundation to honor Jaxson’s memory and empower scholars to build a brighter future.
The Book
A Promise Kept: The Story of JWAS
In this poignant memoir and manual, Sherry and Larry Swank share how they transformed the loss of their son into a mission of hope. The Promise We Made, Transforming Grief Into a Force For Good, to Many chronicles the birth of the JWAS Foundation, offering a rare look at how to turn personal tragedy into a generational legacy. Part practical guide, part tribute, it proves that even the briefest life can change the world forever.
Authors Sherry and Larry have written not only a practical guide to starting a private family foundation that will endure for generations, but also a personal testament to the enduring power of family itself. It is a guide to finding light in the darkest of times, and proof that a single life, no matter how brief, can change the world.
Sherry and Larry Swank | Authors, Speakers, and Co-Founders of the JWAS Foundation
After losing their son Jaxson at 22 months old, Sherry and Larry Swank made a promise to honor his life by helping others.
For over 20 years, they’ve done just that, supporting children and families through the JWAS Foundation while sharing their journey to help others find hope in the midst of grief.
JWAS Foundation
The JWAS Difference: Support for Families When It Matters Most
Sherry and Larry Swank founded the JWAS Foundation to support budding scholars on their educational journey in honor of their own son, Jaxson, whose life was tragically cut short as a toddler. As Jaxson Scholars, children receive not only financial assistance from preschool through higher education but also year-round support from a community committed to seeing them succeed.
Discover How You Can Support the JWAS Foundation
JWAS not only invests in every Jaxson Scholar for two decades of their lives, but their entire family through year-round community events, leadership programming, and more.