06.20.2018

Jordon Finds the Support She Needs to Succeed

By Trent Freeman, Treehouse Marketing and Communications

Jordon was scared and depressed at the group home where she was staying when she was 16. She was distrustful of people, shy and struggled to have relationships.

A mutual love of basketball would end up forging a friendship with one of the counselors at the home, Kyle Barrett.

“In time, Kyle became like a father figure to me. Kyle made me feel like someone understood and cared about me,” Jordon said.

Basketball had been a big part of Jordon’s life until an injury forced her from the game, forever. She was on an AAU traveling team when she tore her ACL and meniscus. (“And I was a good athlete. Actually, really good,” Jordon said.)

Kyle, who coaches youth basketball, and his wife, Everlyn, offered to let Jordon live with them.

“The day the judge said I could move in with them was one of the happiest days of my life,” Jordon said.

Everlyn and Jordon favor each other in appearance, and Jordon enjoys it when people mistake the two for blood relatives.

“I love it because she is the mom I never had,” Jordon said. “I admire her determination, resiliency and how she takes care of the people she loves. I trust her, which doesn’t come easy to me. She is my mom, my friend and the strongest person I know.”

Jordon is learning to trust other people, too, such as Merissa Humes, her Education Specialist at Treehouse. Merissa was there each step of the way recently as Jordon filled out her FAFSA and scholarship applications for college.

Merissa even went with Jordon to talk to admissions at the University of Washington in Tacoma, which she will be attending this fall. Her career goal is to become a homicide detective.

Treehouse’s Little Wishes program paid for Jordon’s driver’s education and her sports fees when she was playing basketball.

“Getting my license helped me so much. I was able to get to school, my job and help with my siblings,” Jordon said. “Before my license, I had to get up at 5 a.m. to catch the bus in Auburn to make it to school on time, and 5 a.m. is early!

“If I didn’t have Treehouse, I wouldn’t have access to so many opportunities.”

Jordon is no longer scared or depressed. She has a busy life, a family that loves her and the support she always needed.

Basketball has even returned. She and Kyle coach a team of fourth graders. Through coaching, they stay close to the game they love—the game that brought them together.