Tuesday, December 2, 2014

My friend Jordan

The first time I walked the halls of Alleman High School my sophomore year, I encountered a kid named Jordan Schmidt. He was small with a large growth on the side of his neck - a tumor - and a brace on his right ankle. But what struck me most was his smile. It was the sort of grin that you only encounter once in a lifetime.

I will never be convinced otherwise - Jordan Schmidt was an angel on Earth.



Jordan had a genetic disorder that causes usually benign tumors that stunt growth. But in December 2011, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.

He wanted to be an actor, and appeared in a play and a film. He was a spokesperson for a couple of charities, too. He got the chance to visit Hollywood and the Ellen DeGeneres show before he died in January 2013.

At his funeral, my class served as the honor guard as his casket rolled down the aisle to the song Hallelujah, his favorite. During the service, his mom recounted his first visit to the Intensive Care Unit. Jordan was hooked up to a ventilator and could only communicate through a computer. What did he type out? The Lord's Prayer, she said. Jordan still praised God unabashedly, even in immense pain.

Isaiah 40:9: "You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, 'Here is your God!'" 

This passage encompasses everything that Jordan was. His laughter, and the way he chose to live fully and love others unconditionally were a testament to the good news of the Lord. 

Grace Moran is a student at Alleman High School, and future student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.