MTV Dennis M. Cashmyer, the father of late “16 and Pregnant” star Jordan Cashmyer, revealed his daughter's cause of death.
Dennis M. Cashmyer, the father of late “16 & Pregnant” star Jordan Cashmyer, revealed she died from a drug overdose in a GoFundMe campaign, as first noted by The Ashley’s Reality Roundup.
“Addiction plagues many families, and our family was not immune to it. Jordan was always so full of life and full of personality,” Dennis M. Cashmyer wrote on the fundraiser’s page. “She had a way of always making those around her laugh and smile, and her smile was truly contagious.”
“Our family is heartbroken, and we will forever miss Jordan. We are now faced with the grim outcome that our grandaughter that we have been raising will never get to make memories with her mother or father, never getting to know them,” he wrote.
Cashmyer was 26 years old when she died on January 15, four months after her fiance, Michael Schaffer, aged 30. They are survived by their daughter, 6-month-old Lyla. Cashmyer was also the mother of 7-year-old Genevieve “Evie” Shae Taylor, whom she shared with ex-boyfriend Derek Taylor.
Cashmyer temporarily signed over her parental rights of Evie to Taylor’s mother, TMZ reported. Cashmyer was “struggling with mental health issues, addiction and had suicidal thoughts,” the outlet reported.
The family didn’t mention Cashmyer’s cause of death in her obituary.
Cashmyer’s Daughters Are Being Raised by Their Grandparents
Part of the reason Cashmyer’s family created the fundraiser — in addition to Cashmyer’s final arrangements — was to help pay for Lyla’s care.
“Lyla lost her father to addiction at two months & now her mother at six months. Our family has to now not only put our daughter to rest but navigate through starting over with an infant who has lost both her parents in her six months of life,” Dennis M. Cashmyer wrote. “Please help our family cover the costs of Jordan’s memorial and start a fund for Lyla’s future.”
“We did not foresee starting back over, and all that comes along with that. Lyla has been our family’s greatest joy and addition; she has been our saving grace during this difficult time,” he wrote. “Myself, my wife, our kids, and sweet little Lyla have been shown so much love and words of kindness in the past nine days since Jordan’s passing.”
The fundraiser has a goal of $15,000 and has raised nearly $5,000 with more than 70 donations.
The Hearts of Cashmyer’s Family Are ‘Truly Broken’
Cashmyer’s death was revealed by her father via Facebook.