Parents honor late daughter’s memory by donating meals to nurses

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Jordan Gutheim (Provided to WINK News)

Tuesday marks four years since Jordan Gutheim and her boyfriend were killed in an accident. Her parents honor the memory of their daughter every year and this time, they’re honoring those on the front lines.

There’s no way mom and dad will ever fully recover.

Greg and Lorraine Gutheim (WINK News)

“When you lose a child, it doesn’t get any easier,” said Greg and Lorraine Gutheim.

They called Jordan their “sunshine girl.”

“She was vibrant, she loved people, she had a great laugh, but she made everyone smile,” they said.

In May 2016, their daughter was wrapping up her sophomore year at Florida State University when tragedy changed their lives. Jordan and her boyfriend were killed in a car crash.

“After Jordan and her boyfriend Benji were killed, it really brought out more because not only do we want to show love for people, but we want to carry Jordan’s memory because she’s not…she’s not able to,” her parents said.

They’ve since turned that loss into hope.

“What we try to do during the week and on this day is honor our daughter and do things that she enjoyed, which are difficult,” they said.

Tuesday, that mission brought them back to the place where Jordan’s life began: Healthpark Medical Center.

With the help of Jason’s Deli, where Jordan worked to help pay for college, her parents donated more than 200 sandwiches to nurses.

Greg and Lorraine Gutheim donate food to Healthpark Medical Center nurses (WINK News)

“Our hearts go out to the family for their loss,” said Healthpark Medical Center nurses Kristi Cottrill and Susan Dimatteo. “We’re deeply sorry, but for our teams to get this, it makes them feel appreciated and we’re just very grateful.”

They’re spreading a little of Jordan’s sunshine and love to the city she called home.

“I know it goes a mile for someone to feel that people actually care and sometimes in this world there’s just not enough of that,” her parents said.

Jordan’s parents do a lot more in their daughter’s memory. They donate to several local organizations including Cape Coral Animal Shelter, Valerie’s House and the Teen Driving Challenge. they also gift a scholarship to Florida State every year in Jordan’s honor.

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