News broke about a week ago that 16 and Pregnant star Jordan Cashmyer had died at 26. At the time of the former MTV star’s passing, her cause of death had not been confirmed. However, her family has now spoken up about addictions, Jordan’s little one and more to make sure her story is heard.
In an update, Jordan Cashmyer’s father, Dennis, is trying to raise money via social channels both as a memorial for his daughter, but also to set up a care plan for the reality star’s daughter, Lyla, who is only six months old. While Dennis Cashmyer did not get into the details surrounding Jordan’s death, he did open up about addiction and how it had been “plaguing” his family, along with so many others in the United States and around the world.
Addiction plagues many families, and our family was not immune to it. Jordan was always so full of life and full of personality. She had a way of always making those around her laugh and smile, and her smile was truly contagious. Our family is heartbroken, and we will forever miss Jordan. We are now faced with the grim outcome that our granddaughter that we have been raising will never get to make memories with her mother or father, never getting to know them. Lyla lost her father to addiction at two months & now her mother at six months.
Dennis Cashmyer spoke out about not being prepared to “start over” and take on the responsibility of the care of another little one, though he calls little Lyla his “saving grace” and “greatest joy and addition.” The family is looking to raise $15,000 in donations in order to move forward after their daughter’s death. The full post and ability to contribute can be found over at GoFundMe.
Dennis Cashmyer had previously opened up about the death of her oldest child on Facebook, noting she’d gotten a “call no parent ever wants.” In part of a longer statement, she also shared:
Our hearts are truly broken. No parent should ever have to go through losing a child, EVER. Please keep my family in your thoughts prayers as we navigate through this terrible tragedy. Please understand and respect our privacy at this time.
Jordan Cashmyer became a TV personality back in 2014. Only a teenager at the time, her storyline featured herself, then beau Derek Taylor and their pregnancy journey before having their daughter Evie. In the show, she spoke about how she didn’t regret her daughter, but did regret getting pregnant so young. After splitting up with Taylor and dealing with arrests, a reported suicide attempt, and more, Cashmyer began dating Michael Frank Schaffer and the two had reportedly hit a sobriety milestone in January of 2021. Lyla was born in June of that same year.
Tragically, Schaffer later passed away in September 2021, from what we now know is an addiction-related cause, as well. Our hearts go out to their families as they deal with the caretaking of Lyla, as well as their recent losses.
