In your lifetime, there will be people who help shape you into the person you become. For me, it was my Aunt Jill. It is impossible to describe the love and connection I and everyone in my family had for Jill. She was kind, caring, stubborn and tenacious. Most of my childhood memories revolve around her spending valuable time with me and taking my siblings and I on new experiences.  

My Aunt Jill went above and beyond to be there for us and attended every single band concert, football game and color guard competition just to be there cheering for us. When I was born, Jill was 22 years old. She, as a young woman, went out of her way to be a huge part of our lives. For example, one very fond childhood memory was when she painted my siblings and I’s faces in camo face paint and we crawled around in my grandmother’s yard, pretending to be soldiers. She wasn’t afraid to get dirty with us, and she valued memories and new experiences. 

Jill was someone I did a lot of my “firsts” with. My first roller coaster, I was side by side, hand and hand with her. I can still remember peeking through the bars of the Fahrenheit Roller Coaster and feeling relief and happiness that my Aunt Jill sat snug beside me, laughing. Jill fostered a love and curiosity for animals in me and encouraged my musical escapades by letting me borrow her trumpet in high school. 

She allowed me to delve deep into the world of literature and lent me her Harry Potter books, something that middle school me was ecstatic about. Once, she even pretended to be my mother so I could get my ears pierced in the mall. Jill was a constant in my childhood and was a staple figure in my life for so many new experiences. 

My Aunt Jill even allowed my sibling and I to be in her wedding, something that was very special and important to us. In another experience, she once shared with my sister and I that she was pregnant in a fancy New York restaurant. I screamed so loud out of excitement for her, that I disturbed everybody around us, but I couldn’t contain my joy for her. 

Jill as a mother was otherworldly. She had two beautiful little girls and was always on the move. Attending their school parties and taking them to swimming lessons, music classes, school events and more. Even when she was diagnosed with cancer, she never stopped.

I will never begin to understand why bad things happen to some people. Everybody has their own experience with a tragedy that alters their life in some way or another. In my case, this past week, my family lost my Aunt Jill.

On April 19, 2023, Jill Shope Adair passed away after battling cancer for almost four years. Her spirit and determination were something I deeply admired, and she never let cancer define her. Over the past few weeks, friends have journeyed to be with Jill and her family. I got a chance to hear the many stories and shared some of my own that have shown me what a special human being she truly was. 

You don’t meet someone like Jill every day. Jill was smart, stubborn and bold. She taught me to stand up for myself but also to be kind to others. She allowed me the privilege to be close to her and learn from her. Some things in life are just unfair. They will never make sense, and they can never be explained. 

Jill taught me what it meant to be a role model, and I only hope to do the same for her children. I will remind them to never waste a second and jump on the opportunity of life as she did. I will be there for them and always have their backs, as Jill had mine. 

As I continue to journey through life, I will grow and change. But just like Jill taught me, I will continue to reach out to others with the same kindness and passion that she had. Doing so will ensure her spirit will live on forever. 

Share