James Swindlehurst Memorial Scholarship

James Ward Swindlehurst left this earth on December 24, 2021, in Lansing, Michigan with his wife, Kayla, his parents and Kayla’s parents by his side. Born April 15, 1988, at 8:01pm in Traverse City, Michigan to Wayne and Mary Ann (Wehr) Swindlehurst who view the day of his birth as the best day of their life. 

James did everything with such purpose and made everyone that he met feel so meaningful. He used his great passion for life to serve others. James loved his wife, Kayla, with every ounce of his soul, her name rolled lovingly off his tongue, and his eyes sparkled at the thought of her. James lived and loved large with their Great Dane Eli always at his side. James filled a room with enduring confidence, his presence couldn’t be missed. With a sense of humor, the ability to tell a story, a strong will, loyalty, and compassion, he touched more lives in his short lifetime than most people ever do. An angel placed on this earth to perform God’s work. 

James rescued people from car wrecks, restarted hearts, birthed babies, saved countless lives, and comforted many. James loved to ski on Mt. Hood and go white water rafting in Oregon. He was a three-year captain of his ski team and played Lacrosse and Football with great passion. When not playing, he was cheering on his beloved Okemos Chiefs. His friendships so deep that many viewed him as their brother. He was a born leader with the ability to think fast and maneuver quickly. He used this skill to become one of the best medics who ever served. He became a firefighter and was ever so proud of that role. 

James had a genius intellect and a memory that forgot no fact and no person. With a never-ending thirst for knowledge his ability to teach was a gift. He courageously took on every challenge. He had a passion for history, especially military history and a greater passion for people. He was proud of his ability to mentor young medics and took this role with all seriousness for he knew that they would face great challenges and be depended upon by people experiencing the worst day of their life. James’ father was his hero, and together they spent hours in their woodshop. Every chance he had; he’d teach other medics about his dad’s hemophilia. 

He accepted no mistakes from anyone, he feared no one, and would speak up to everyone. In a short-staffed intensive care unit James corrected an ICU doctor who was incorrectly attempting to start an IV in his father’s arm. The doctor turned the job over to James who skillfully placed the IV. As James left the ICU, he was given the respect of the staff; when he was right, he was right, and he was never wrong. James was born under miraculous circumstances, placed here to perform miracles and miracles he performed. 

His was a life well lived. James left hundreds of broken-hearted souls, including family members too numerous to count, friends who will keep him alive in their hearts forever, and a community that he passionately loved. He also left his loving wife and their unborn child. None of it makes sense. James, with such a zest for doing things right didn’t leave business unfinished. God has some plan that is unknown to us. James you are a hero and Kayla and your child will now have that family, those friends, and the community to watch over your final miracle; a hero’s wife and his child. Rest in Peace and may God be with you.