Jayda Grant, Anthony Grant daughter, died when she was just 20 years old in 2022. The late daughter of Grant was a two-time state champion in the 400m.
Jayda Grant had been fighting mental health problems for the previous two years. Also, she was in therapy and treatment for weeks and months before her death.
Anthony Duvale Grant is an American basketball coach for the University of Dayton.
Moreover, Grant was previously the head coach at Virginia Commonwealth University from 2006 to 2009 and then at the University of Alabama from 2009 to 2015.
From 1996 until 2006, he was an assistant coach at the University of Florida before becoming the head coach at VCU.
The head coach won the CAA Coach of the Year and the Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. Also, Anthony was named AP National College Coach of the Year.
Who Was Anthony Grant Daughter?
Jayda Grant was the daughter of Anthony Grant and Christina Grant. Grant’s daughter grew up with three siblings: AJ Grant, Preston Grant, and Makai Grant.
Moreover, the late daughter graduated from Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School.
Her freshman and sophomore years were spent at Oklahoma Christian School.
In school, she played track and field, setting records for the fastest 200 meters (26.33) and the fastest 400 meters (58.54).
In addition, Jayda was also a part of the OHSAA Division II 4×100 state championship team in the year 2019.
However, she couldn’t continue because the outdoor and indoor matches were canceled due to COVID-19.
Additionally, the coach’s daughter majored in civil engineering and planned to be an architect.
Unfortunately, the plans she made were incomplete. Due to a severe mental health problem, she lost her life at a very young age.
Anthony recalls becoming aware of Jayda’s mental health challenges at the onset of the pandemic.
“As parents, we really didn’t see that coming. Certainly, you look back, just trying to navigate it, and there’s guilt, and there’s obviously a lot of heartache and a lot of pain,” Anthony said.
Grant Family Bringing Purpose To The Pain
Jayda Grant passed away over a year and a half ago. Her parents describe her as an athletic girl who was always ready for a game with her three brothers.
The coach and his family made a profound decision to channel their pain and experiences towards assisting others in need.
“We aimed to find meaning in the adversity we were facing,” Grant explained.
He further expressed that while their efforts might not alleviate their own suffering, the prospect of effecting positive change in someone else’s life would imbue their ongoing struggles with a sense of purpose.
This endeavor was a charity exhibition match between Ohio State and UD Arena.
All proceeds from this event were dedicated to two vital organizations: the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Ohio and the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.
Grant acknowledged that this was not the legacy they had initially envisioned for Jayda. Still, they fervently hoped that sharing her story would serve as a beacon of hope and aid in saving others facing similar challenges.
