About the Authors
Our Story
Jim Jordan, Joan Wilder Jordan, and Aidan Peter Jordan lived in St Louis, and Jim still does. Jim is from upstate NY and even after 40 years still despises St. Louis summers and misses winters. Joan grew up in St. Louis City and felt she abandoned the city when we moved 1½ blocks outside the city limits for better schools.
Jim pursued environmental education and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as a career, in an out-of-school setting. Jim has a strong environmental ethic; science guides his beliefs and actions. He has been a member of the Ethical Society of St Louis for 15 years. He often questions black and white answers to the unknown, believes in right and wrong, equity and fairness, and is just a wee bit pigheaded.
Aidan Peter Jordan was born 12/31/1997. Yes, we got the tax credit as friends joked, but I would have traded that tax credit in a flash for Aidan to have a normal life. OK, years later I have to ask, “what is normal?”
When he was 4-days old, a major surgery saved his life. A few days later we received the news that our son had a rare genetic abnormality and would be severely disabled at best and probably wouldn’t live to his first birthday. With community support, Aidan thrived in his own special way. Aidan was a change maker and this book takes you on our journey for the next 26 years.
Joan grew up on the south side of St Louis city and attended Catholic school. She was close to her extended family who lived in the St Louis region, and after graduation still met with most of her childhood friends as they didn’t move away. Her career was more varied than Jim’s, starting with banking and Human Resources, then moving to instructing computer mini classes so she could volunteer in social justice and environmental causes. She shared many of Jim’s beliefs and values, but may not have been so pigheaded.
Jim and Joan met later in life through the St. Louis Rainforest Alliance. She was the secretary and he was the treasurer. They were married on Earth Day weekend in 1995, both aged 39 years. Joan died in 2004 after a month-long battle with leukemia.
Jim's Current Outlook on Life
Ever since Aidan entered Joan and Jim's life together, Jim has been a strong advocate for Aidan and “People of All Abilities.” After Aidan passed, Jim felt the need to help others through volunteerism. After all, many gave of themselves to help during Aidan's life and Jim is now able to give back. It was uplifting to know at the end of a shift at Home Sweet Home, a nonprofit furniture bank that partners with under-served individuals and families, he was able to play a small part in a family furnishing their new apartment for free. Or after driving the Operation Food Search van to pick up donated goods on “Shop Out Hunger” day, including over 100 jars of Peanut Butter, it was uplifting to know just how many people in St Louis were concerned with the less privileged and economically strapped. Helping birds and native bees through participatory science and landscaping for wildlife was a way to give to a broader “community.” Could he do more—of course! Because of Aidan, he will continue to try to do good work and engage in as Senator John Lewis said, some "good trouble." It helps his mind and body stay engaged and possibly not age as quickly.
Aidan had many hidden gifts that he gave to those who took the time to be present and enjoy life with him. He was an enigma to many, but not all. May the many spirits that inhabit our cosmos look down and smile on your deeds and actions.