Remembering Jaaden

“2024 is going to be my year,” Jaaden my 21-year-old brother said shortly before passing away due to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). Jaaden was the fun-loving middle child of three brothers and one sister. At the age of 11 months, Jaaden suffered his first seizure in our father’s arms. It was a frightening moment, but even so, nothing could foreshadow what would happen about 20 years later.

After suffering from a few febrile seizures as a baby, Jaaden did not experience another seizure for nearly 20 years. However, on June 5, 2022, Jaaden suffered what was described as a “state of confusion and inability to respond or focus.” This occurred suddenly during family time, and he was diagnosed by the ER as having experienced an “atypical migraine,” with notes that stated, “Possible absence seizure but would be odd at this age.”

On February 23, 2023, Jaaden suffered his first generalized seizure with convulsions. It was a sudden onset that lasted two or three minutes. He was postictal afterward. All scans, both CT and MRI, came back clear. Jaaden was never diagnosed with epilepsy despite visits to a neurologist and three more seizures after this first reoccurrence.

Our father found Jaaden on April 7, 2024. He showed obvious signs of having suffered a seizure overnight and passed in his sleep. That very day, Jaaden had set up a kickball game for all the kids in his local congregation. At 21 years old, Jaaden touched the lives of many and over 1,000 people attended his memorial. We find comfort in our spiritual beliefs that we will see our brother, son, and friend again.

To keep his memory alive, we are determined to educate and spread awareness of SUDEP and the unique struggles of living with a beloved family member who suffers from epilepsy, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. I want others to hear this story of my brother, whose life was cut short. I find it my duty to keep his legacy going, all the while spreading awareness about SUDEP and helping families who experience this unfortunate event. They are not alone; we are not alone.