OUR STORY
About the Whitman Foundation
From one family's resilience to a community mission.
JACKIE'S STORY
From Personal Triumph to Community Mission
In 2024, Jackie Whitman faced an extraordinary battle that would not only transform her life but inspire a movement of compassion and community support.
After being admitted to Saratoga Hospital with pneumonia, Jackie's condition rapidly progressed to septic shock and heart failure, leading to an emergency airlift to Westchester Medical Center.
After spending an extended amount of time in Emergency/Intensive Care and Rehabilitation, Jackie demonstrated remarkable resilience — and her journey would require even more strength as she faced multiple surgeries, including partial amputation of her fingers and both legs below the knees.
Please read below for the story of Jackie's full journey.
WHY WE STARTED THE WHITMAN FOUNDATION
Throughout her challenging journey, Jackie's spirit and the overwhelming support from her community sparked a vision larger than herself. As a devoted wife and mother of three, she recognized that while she was fortunate to have a strong support system, many families face similar crises without the same resources.
At the heart of our work is the Financial Assistance Fund — providing immediate support for families facing unexpected medical challenges, covering critical expenses from medical bills to household necessities. During a health crisis, no family should have to choose between medical care and keeping the lights on.
We are building partnerships with local healthcare providers and community organizations to create a comprehensive, sustainable support network. Through community engagement, we raise awareness and create volunteer opportunities that strengthen the bonds that make our community resilient.
Jackie's Journey
Jackie Whitman’s story began in a home where faith was steady, family was everything, and hard work was simply expected. Raised alongside her older sisters and younger brother, she learned early that love and competition could exist hand in hand. In the front yard, laughter mixed with determination as the siblings pushed one another through endless games—always playful, always competitive. Those moments shaped her, instilling both resilience and joy.
That same drive carried Jackie into every sport she touched. She didn’t just participate—she excelled. By the time she finished high school, she had earned the title of All-American, a reflection of both her natural ability and relentless work ethic. Her talent opened the door to Northeastern University, where she attended on a full scholarship for field hockey. There, she competed against the best athletes in the country and refused to be anything less than one of them. In 1999, her dedication culminated in one of the highest honors in collegiate athletics: she was named a Division I First Team All-American.
But her greatest victories wouldn’t be measured in accolades. At Northeastern, Jackie met Brian Whitman—her best friend, her partner, and the love of her life. They married in 2004, beginning a life built on shared values and unwavering support. In 2009, her dream of becoming a mother came true. Jackie and Brian welcomed three children—Cole, James “JL,” and Brooke—each one a new source of purpose and joy. Jackie felt, in every sense, blessed.
In 2013, the Whitman family moved to Wilton, NY, where they quickly found a community that felt like home. It was close-knit, vibrant, and deeply supportive—a place where neighbors became family. Many would later describe it as a “bubble,” a life that felt safe, full, and untouched by hardship.
But in 2024, that bubble burst.
Without warning, Jackie became gravely ill. The woman who once ran miles, powered through box jumps, played soccer with Brooke, basketball with her boys, golfed alongside Brian, cared for her home, gardened—suddenly could do none of it. Flu and pneumonia turned to severe septic shock, shutting her organs down. She was fighting for her life.
Family and friends rushed to the hospital, many fearing they were saying their final goodbyes.
In a desperate attempt to save her, Jackie was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center. Against overwhelming odds, she survived the flight. She was rushed into the trauma unit and placed on ECMO, the most advanced form of life support. At that point, medicine could only do so much. The rest was left to faith.
As Jackie lay in a coma in the ICU, something remarkable began to happen—her body started to fight its way back. Slowly, steadily, life returned. When she finally woke, she had to be told where she was, what had happened, and how close she had come to death. Yet even in that moment, her spirit remained unchanged. Overwhelmed with gratitude, she wrote on a piece of paper that she wanted to go home—unaware of just how long the road ahead would be.
Miraculously, her heart recovered—and quickly. Doctors were stunned as it returned to full function. But survival came with a cost. As the reality set in that she would lose her fingertips and both legs below the knee, grief found its way in.
Why did this happen?
How would she still be the mother her children needed?
What did the future look like now?
She had survived—but the life she once knew felt gone.
Yet, with time, faith, and the unwavering support of those around her, Jackie began to see the truth: she was still Jackie. The same strength, the same love, the same purpose lived within her. She leaned into her faith, believing that she had not been given more than she could carry. And so, she chose to bear this cross with gratitude.
Life, she realized, did not need to be perfect to be beautiful.
Her recovery demanded humility in every form. She had to relearn how to breathe, speak, eat, and eventually walk again—with prosthetics. Her hands no longer worked the way they once had, but she found peace in what remained. The woman who once cared for others now had to accept care herself, as her family stepped into the role of caregivers.
And then, finally—she came home.
What awaited her was nothing short of extraordinary. Her community wrapped itself around her in love. Meals arrived daily. Lawns were mowed. Flowers were planted in her window boxes. Prayers were whispered constantly. Friends showed up—not just to help, but to remind her of who she was: strong, loved, and never alone.
As support grew, so did an idea. A golf outing was organized to help with medical expenses. Jackie, overwhelmed, felt unworthy of such generosity. But those closest to her saw something bigger. Together, they transformed that single act of kindness into something lasting: The Whitman Foundation.
What began as support for one family became a mission to support many.
Today, Jackie continues to fight—working every day to grow stronger in body, mind, and spirit. Her life may look different, but it is deeper, more purposeful, and rooted in faith like never before.
Her story is not one of loss.
It is one of resilience, of community, of faith—and of a woman who discovered that even after everything changes, the best can still be yet to come.
Jackie with her family