“I don’t want to do cancer, Daddy.” Six-year-old Jaxan Jernigan uttered those heart-crushing words to his dad, Craig. Craig and Lindsey Jernigan thought their son was suffering headaches due to dehydration, but a seizure which sparked an ambulance ride to the Emergency Room in January 2021 revealed Jaxan had a brain tumor the size of a tennis ball.
“It was the worst day of my life with the endless waiting and not knowing the outcome,” Jaxan’s mom, Lindsey, remembers. After a fourteen-hour brain surgery, the Jernigan's discovered their son had an aggressive form of cancer: a CNS Embryonal Tumor.
The Jernigans have raised their son on the water since he was 5 months old. "He was a boat baby,” Lindsey explained. “We would go out almost every weekend.” After months of painful chemotherapy, Jaxan told his dad he was ready to go back to his happy place. He mumbled in a barely recognizable voice, “I miss our dock!”.
As soon as Jaxan was in remission, Craig purchased a new boat and had Jaxan back on the dock at MarineMax. “It is a lifestyle,” Lindsey explained. “Our best family time is on the water,” Craig added. “Taking the dinghy out, watching the weather roll in, seeing sunrises and sunsets, treasure hunting, swimming, and playing in the sand.” The Jernigans also got their son a companion for these excursions, a lively Goldendoodle named Charley. Jaxan admits Charley has good sea legs, but he is the one who loves boating the best.
The Jernigans have always had a goal of living and traveling on a Catamaran. So, with Jaxan’s steady clear scans, they now have a floating home away from home. They purchased a 54-foot Aquila catamaran yacht at MarineMax Pensacola which offers much more than just a place to store their yacht. They are part of the MarineMax family. “We want you to become part of the MarineMax family and get the most out of your boating experience,” explained Camille Hoskins, sales consultant. “After traveling to Key West with MarineMax in 2022 on our previous boat, it gave me the confidence and confirmation to want to experience more,” said Craig.
Jaxan undergoes brain and spine MRI scans every four months. For each clear scan, the family can breathe a little deeper. For the last two and a half years, the scans have all been clear. He is now nine years old and thriving as a soon-to-be third grader at Creative Learning Academy.
Lindsey works for Caring Hearts Healthcare for Kids which is a daycare for medically fragile children. Craig owns American Heritage Financial which is a financial planning firm operating in 49 states which he started in 2013 in Pensacola. The couple is passionate about their community and giving back, particularly in the children’s charity arena such as Valerie’s House which helps grieving children, and The Rally Foundation that helps pediatric cancer patients and their families.
With the unwavering support from Cindi Bonner of Rally Gulf Coast, Jaxan got into a clinical trial that Lindsey believes helped save his life. “We will support their efforts forever.” Jaxan was able to walk down the aisle as a model during the 2022 “Rally on the Runway” annual fundraiser thanks to his improved health.
Camille at MarineMax said the Aquila catamaran is perfect because it is “truly designed for people to live on. There is lots of open space.” There are three staterooms, a crew quarters, a living room, and an enclosed flybridge on top.” Plus, it has a sophisticated Starlink internet system that is engineered by Space X, so Craig can be connected and do his business from anywhere. They eventually want to take their boat for months at a time to the Caribbean while working and boat-schooling Jaxan.
The yacht is a dream come true for the family, but the real wish is their son’s continued good health. When asked about his first night on the boat, Jaxan exclaimed. “It was awesome! I slept so well.” His parents are sleeping better these days as well. They have named the yacht “Clear Horizon”. A fitting name because the goal is for Jaxan to continue to bring home clear cancer screenings and live a happy life on the water.
“Our best family time is on the water. Taking the dinghy out, watching the weather roll in, seeing sunrises and sunsets, treasure hunting, swimming, and playing in the sand.”