Meet Jordan

No amount of words will do Jordan justice.

But this is where we try anyway, because Jordan deserves to be remembered as he IS... a beautiful son, an amazing little brother, and a hero. A hero who had to make the call none of us could make, but understood heroes make the tough choices, because only they can make it. With great power....

Jordan smiling — Jordan... always ready to fight.

Jordan’s Story

He was ours before he was anyone’s inspiration.

Jordan Richard Faust was born on July 21, 2016 in Madison, Wisconsin... after Ashley put in all the work, and made it look easy. Being a mother comes naturally to her at an expert level. I wish I could say when Jordan was born, I was ready.... truth is, I was so happy but scared, and still convinced I knew more than I actually did.

His brothers, Malik and Skyler, accepted him immediately. They did not just do what brothers do. They did what special brothers do. They looked out for him, loved him, and made room for him in a way that, looking back, made our family feel more whole than I understood at the time.

Jordan smiling with family and friends — Cheeks made for kissing, before he could even talk.

Jordan surrounded by people cheering him on — That grin he gave when he knew he was being a little stinker.

Jordan with family and friends, a moment worth keeping — Team JordanStrong, with the woman who fought hardest for him.

Jordan working hard on his very best turkey noise.

His personality

Funny, sharp, loving, and completely himself.

As Jordan grew, Ashley noticed he was different in the best of ways. He connected things quickly. He could read faces, understand emotion, and make sense of the world around him in a way that felt older than he was.

He could be sweet. He could be blunt. He could make people laugh without even trying. The Jordan people loved was not a symbol or a sad story. He was the reminder, or the manifestation of love and connection in human form.

Superhero world

Jordan loved superheroes.

From the day he could lay and watch, to this very moment he loved superheroes. Ask him his favorite, and it would change depending on the day. If they had to be ranked, it would be a tie between The Hulk and Spider-Man (Miles Morales), Deadpool, The Flash, Captain America, Black Panther, and Iron Man. It's part of the reason we chose a green and purple color choice on the site -- green was Jordan's favorite color... thanks to The Hulk.

And yes, there is an urban legend that Jordan, not even two yet, joined his dad and brothers for a mission to see Deadpool 2 in theaters. That mission almost got denied. It did not get denied.

Jordan with family at Deadpool 2 — Jordan at Deadpool 2

Jordan pointing out every superhero he knows.

Jordan with family — Jordan’s superhero world was also a family world -- movies, toys, brothers, jokes, and memories.

What he endured

Childhood cancer is hell. Jordan was still Jordan.

Weeks before his third birthday, Jordan was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Before that, there were symptoms, pain, questions, tests, and moments where we knew something was wrong even when the answers did not come fast enough.

Before the diagnosis, there were hard moments with doctors, unanswered questions, and times when Jordan's pain was not understood the way it should have been. Ashley kept fighting for him, kept trusting what she saw, and kept pushing for someone to look closer.

On the ride to American Family Children’s Hospital, I told him, “I’m sorry we have to do all this, Bubba.” He told me, “It’s ok daddy, it’s not your fault.” I used to wonder if he understood what was happening. Looking back, maybe he understood more than any of us could have ever anticipated.

Jordan went through things no child should have to go through: a softball-sized tumor, a 19-hour surgery, Hickman lines, overnight stays, needle pokes, a stem cell transplant, kidney dialysis, tubes, procedures, and long stretches where the hospital became part of daily life.

But this page will never make cancer the main character. Jordan is the main character. The medical reality matters because it shows what he carried. It does not get to define who he was.

Jordan with loved ones — Jordan meditates when he wants!

Why this exists

ImJordanStrong carries his strength forward.

Jordan brought light into places that were far too dark. He made everyone he interacted with feel like they met someone once in a lifetime special, because they did.

ImJordanStrong exists to honor him with love, with humor, with strength, with honesty and with support for families who are suddenly carrying more than anyone should have to carry alone.

This is not about pretending everything was okay. It is about remembering that even inside the hardest parts, Jordan’s spirit kept showing up smiling, laughing, loving superheroes, loving his mom’s beautiful beautiful hair, and being our Bubba. And that won’t stop.