Heaven’s Special Child - September 12, 1966 – October 13, 1996
Jill Joanne Goodsell, Jr. – “Jillie” – was born September 12, 1966 and died October 13, 1996. I am sharing with you a little about who she was, what she accomplished and the people she touched in her family, her community and in the world. Because of Jillie, we involved everyone in our world and everything that we did, from my teaching, lecturing, my Studio, my performing, Special Olympics, my son’s basketball games – both in High School and in college at USC – everybody was involved with Jillie. Jillie was the training. Jillie was everywhere. Jillie was able to participate in everything. She sat at the right hand of her mother and brother, wherever we were, and so she got to make a difference in the world by her very presence. People met Jillie and, through us, they got to know her. They saw that we treasured and honored her, and we went through whatever we had to go through to give her the quality of life she so richly deserved.

Jillie was severely brain-damaged, profoundly retarded, autistic and had Grand Mal seizures. I considered it my greatest honor to be the mother of my son, Ruben, and Jillie. I hope that her spirit and our example of loving and honoring her in the ways that we did, will be an example and inspiration to others. Her journey from not walking, to walking and speaking a little, and even having a little job at the end of her life, will certainly be a tangible reason for you to see the abundance of good that all of us do by helping each other in all areas of life.

Photo Gallery (click on the small pictures to enlarge)