
Episode #12
The Best Is Yet to Come: A Father's Story of Losing His Daughter to Suicide | Jason King | RAW w/ J
Content note: this episode discusses suicide, mental health and grief. Please listen when you're in the right space, and come back later if today isn't the day. Support is below. When Jason King received a letter telling him he was a father, his daughter Jordan was already 18 months old. The first time he saw her, at Melbourne Airport, he looked into her eyes and thought: oh, there you are. It was love at first sight. This is the journey of Jordan, told by her dad: long-distance parenting across two states, fighting through family court for time together, and Jordan moving to Broken Hill at 15 after a suicide attempt, right as COVID lockdowns and a family cancer diagnosis created a perfect storm. Jordan died by suicide in March 2023, aged 18. Jason shares her story from a place of love, focused on legacy rather than tragedy alone: the signs he sees now in hindsight, the bedroom door he wishes he'd knocked on, and the message he carries to every parent: if you're worried about your child and you can have the conversation today, have it today. Don't wait until tomorrow. Why this episode is called The Best Is Yet to Come: they are Jordan's own words. After she passed, her family found a gratitude journal with just one page filled in. In the space marked quote of the day, written only a month or two before she died, Jordan had written: the best is yet to come. Those five words are now her legacy, the tagline of The Jordan Liberty Project, and Jason's message to anyone struggling: it's true. Stay for it. Her legacy lives on through The Jordan Liberty Project: a documentary following Jason and Jordan's closest friends carrying her ashes from Broken Hill home to Alice Springs, partnered with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and endorsed by Suicide Prevention Australia. Be kind, to yourself and others. DONATE TO JORDAN'S LEGACY (tax-deductible over $2): https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/jordan-liberty/ Timestamps:0:00 Trailer: the journey of Jordan1:05 How to listen to this episode1:59 Welcome Jason King2:34 From Australia's oldest milk bar to filmmaking7:03 Legacy, not just tragedy8:40 A breathing tool anyone can use10:01 The letter: learning he was a dad12:24 Meeting Jordan at Melbourne Airport16:07 Long-distance parenting and family court22:57 Jordan moves to Broken Hill at 1524:13 The perfect storm: COVID and a cancer diagnosis26:21 Coping and being honest about it28:55 Living with Jordan through the ups and downs31:25 Why teens struggle to show how bad it is35:35 The signs Jason sees in hindsight37:47 Have the conversation today39:41 The door he wishes he'd knocked on41:04 Sobriety, self-kindness and healing45:10 The Jordan Liberty Project49:14 The best is yet to come: Jordan's words51:52 The invisible backpack53:58 How to support the documentary The Jordan Liberty Project:Website → https://jordanliberty.org Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jordanlibertyproject Facebook → The Jordan Liberty Project Jason King:Website → https://jasonking.net.au LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-king-aab41617/ Connect with me:Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/jacinthafield TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@jacinthafield YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/rawwithj Happy Souls Kids:Website → https://www.happysoulskids.com Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/happysoulskids TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@happysoulskids If this brings anything up, support is available:Lifeline 13 11 14 | Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 | Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800If life is in danger, call 000. RAW with J is hosted by Jacintha Field, family and child counsellor, art therapist and founder of Happy Souls Kids: happysoulskids.com

