WEST MEMPHIS, Arkansas — Congressman Steve Cohen has introduced legislation to fight childhood obesity. It’s an issue the health community is calling a pandemic on its own. It also can complicate COVID-19 cases, as it did for 11-year-old Jordyn Franklin of West Memphis.
You may remember seeing Franklin’s face, her story reached national news when she lost her battle against COVID in August. She’s buried with a teddy bear identical to the one her mother sleeps with every night.
Her parents shared that she excelled academically and was a straight-A student, who had goals of being a Supreme Court judge. She also had a wisdom about her, almost like she’d done life here on Earth before.
“Jordyn wasn’t the average 11-year-old,” said mother Caylenn Bobb. “Jordyn was basically an 11-year-old with a 40-year-old mind.”
The 11-year-old had already overcome multiple health hurdles starting in just kindergarten. That’s when she began rapidly gaining weight.
She was a LeBonheur Children’s Hospital patient for at least 4 years, her parents shared. They also saw multiple specialists in Jonesboro and Little Rock.
“They couldn’t tell us what was going on,” said father Rickey Franklin.
Jordyn went through two surgeries, liver biopsies and a sleep study. She was diagnosed with type two diabetes, but her family said they only had to give her insulin twice when she was between ages 5 and 10.
“I’ve never seen an 11-year-old go through so much, and come through,” explained Jordyn’s dad.
The day Jordyn passed was the same day her mom had her ready to go see her doctor.
When she had trouble breathing her mom said it took three 911 calls and about 12 minutes for paramedics to arrive.
“She heard me, she heard her dad,” said Mr. Franklin. “I was just holding her like she was a little baby. I was just rocking her, (and saying) “just keep breathing, they’re on the way baby they’re on the way. All of a sudden, the breathing stopped and then that’s when my heart went to my stomach.”
Jordyn’s parents shared that while they took care of her, she was in many ways taking care of them.
Faith is carrying them through the heartache.
“That’s the only way I stop crying is if I talk to Jordyn and talk to God,” Franklin said.
When asked what they want others to know about their daughter, her mom said it’s that she was their superwoman.
“(She’s the) strongest 11-year-old I’ve ever met,” said Franklin. “I’ve never seen anyone go through so much.”
“She was my hero, she sure was,” replied Bobb. “She changed my life and she changed it again.”
Changed their lives when she entered the world, and again when she left it.