It was May 2008 when Molly Jackson left church a bit early after her daughter Lucy started fussing. After strapping Lucy into her car seat, Molly handed her a thin slice of apple. Seconds later, the toddler began choking. Even with assistance from church members who were professional health care workers, efforts to dislodge the apple were unsuccessful. Lucy died a few days later in the hospital.
Now 17 years later, Jackson has published her book, “The Commodity of Connection: How Authentic Relationships Saved My Life…When My Daughter Lost Hers.” In her grief, Jackson learned that authentic connection with others was a valuable force for healing and resilience.
The book is part memoir, part self-help and part corporate training.
"I wanted to make sure it's something everyone can relate to,” Jackson said. “Because knowing a book is about losing a child, that's heavy. Not a lot of people think, ‘Oh, let me pick that up. That sounds like a great time.’ But I think all of us can relate to a time in our lives where we were on the rise, you know, falling in love, growing up, new adventures, careers, and then all of us as humans will experience a fall of some kind. You know, loss is universal.”
Jackson eventually surrendered to the loss and the support she received from the community propelled her to engage in grief advocacy and community work to help others. She’s hopeful the book can help others navigate life’s unpredictability.
Today, her passion is speaking at conferences and events to raise awareness about grief, trauma and child loss.
“For better or worse, I've become somewhat of a public figure in Utah for grief and child loss,” she said. "I have connected with many parents here. I do what I can on a one-on-one friendship basis. And then I speak all over the country for leadership groups or grief groups or medical doctor groups. So, it's my passion, it's my platform, and it's my purpose, and now it's my career, and I love it very much.”
Jackson’s book is available at local booksellers and online.
