From Tragedy to Purpose: The Birth of Jaeden's Legacy

When tragedy touched her family in 2017, Mary Beth Cole’s world was changed forever. Her three-year-old grandson, Jaeden Gray-Cole, passed away due to child abuse. Jaeden was left under the care of his mother’s boyfriend, who reacted emotionally and physically to Jaeden.

“Jaeden was my heart,” Mary Beth recalls. “Such a sweet little boy who could light up a room with just his smile.” When his life was cut short, grief could have silenced her. Instead, it became the seed of something powerful: Jaeden’s Legacy (JL), a nonprofit devoted to preventing child abuse and supporting families in need.

The idea of JL was first born from Mary Beth’s son and Jaeden’s dad, who was incarcerated at the time of Jaeden’s death. He wrote to Mary Beth about creating something to promote education around child abuse prevention. “My son clung to the Lord and birthed the desire for some type of response to bring awareness to the pandemic of child abuse,” Mary Beth explains. “He wanted education to be paramount.” 

Mary Beth wrestled through the heartbreak with the help of a Christian grief support group, where she began to replace her pain with truth. “I had to wrestle with how a loving God could take such an innocent child away and allow such evil to occur in his life. Romans 8 reminds me that neither death nor life can separate us from the love of God,” she says. “My faith became stronger with every surrender.” That strength led Mary Beth to bring the vision of Jaeden’s Legacy to life.

After connecting with BHITC’s Leaders In Faith Together (LIFT) program, she found both the training and support she needed to make JL a reality. The organization is based in the Clark-Fulton neighborhood where Jaeden’s siblings and mother still live. “Learning about BHITC’s location and focused program areas made me even more grateful for the connection to JL,” Mary Beth shares.

The official launch of JL was a Rally CLE project, connecting this LIFT partner with the Community Development arm of BHITC. “Being able to launch Jaeden’s Legacy through Rally CLE was truly a blessing! The support provided, both through funding and volunteers, was tremendous,” Mary Beth says, “I was also impressed with the neighbors that came out to our event, including many of Jaeden’s extended family. This community is not a happy place most of the time, but putting on this event helped bring happiness.” JL hosted a community event in Clark-Fulton with free food, music, a bouncy house, and 3-on-3 basketball tournament. Mary Beth also used the event to educate neighbors as JL seeks to educate, equip, and empower families and communities to break the cycle of abuse before it begins.

Mary Beth envisions a future where Jaeden’s story serves as a bridge to deeper understanding. By reaching into prisons, schools, churches, and local organizations, JL hopes to spark honest conversations about the signs, risks, and prevention of child abuse. JL has already begun reaching out to various parent groups to connect families and survivors with counseling, faith-based resources, and community services.

For youth, Mary Beth hopes to launch mentorship programs and develop paid community projects that foster purpose. As teens grow, JL seeks to guide them toward career pathways and life skills that empower them to become confident, capable leaders in their neighborhoods.

Through JL, a little boy’s smile continues to bring hope, healing, and purpose to families across Cleveland. As the organization grows, JL is seeking partners who share its vision: churches, schools, and community groups willing to host educational seminars; agencies ready to open doors for youth through extracurricular scholarships; and individuals eager to support this mission through financial gifts and prayer. If you’re interested in becoming a partner, connect with Mary Beth at jaedenslegacymbc@gmail.com.