“To know Jennifer Garrett was to simply and fully love her.”- Trystin Reed

Have you ever known a person whose laughter is so contagious that it can bring a smile even to the weary? Have you ever met someone who can look past all of your flaws and can find the good in each and every individual –– even the ones that hurt them the most?

Well, if you knew Jenn –– also known as Jennifer, Jenncat, Jenny...etc. –– you were in luck.

Whether you grew up with her, shared priceless memories in high school with her, or even if you never knew her but you wish you did, Jenn always found a way into everyone’s life.

That call is any loved one’s worst nightmare. From the blinding flashing red and blue lights and the caution tape wrapped around an apartment that used to be nothing more than a happy home, August 11 was a night that never should’ve played out in the way it did.

“Jenn was truly my rock,” her mother, Michele Garrett, said. “Her sisters, Nicki and Brooke, learned so much from her, most of all grace and how to love everyone for who they are. We loved her beyond measure.”

After Jennifer didn’t clock-in for her morning shift at Total Medical Supplies, and she wasn’t answering her friend’s worried calls the following morning, a few of her coworkers took it into their own hands to investigate. When they knocked on the door, Travis Turner, Jennifer’s boyfriend at the time, answered and told them that Jennifer didn’t come home the night before. Already knowing that Jenn’s car was parked around back, her friends immediately knew something was wrong.

Shortly after his confrontation with Jenn’s coworkers, Travis got in his car and left. With worried thoughts of Jenn still heavy on their minds, they entered her apartment through the front door. On August 12, 2021, they tragically found their unresponsive friend on the couch in her apartment.

After their discovery, Travis was arrested for allegedly being responsible for Jenn’s death. Weeks prior, she had mentioned to a couple of her close friends that she had noticed changes in his mannerisms and was concerned he might be struggling with depression. However, nothing could keep her from wanting to help him in any way she could. We may not know what went on in their relationship behind closed doors prior to the attack, but we do know that Jenn never failed to see the good in every person she let into her life.

“Jennifer would have literally given the shirt off of her back to help a stranger,” Chelsea Roberts said. “I remember I had to tell her that we couldn’t give every homeless person a dollar when we were in New York or else we were going to go broke. [Her] selflessness and unconditional love for people will never be forgotten.”

Many of Jennifer’s friendships were established all the way back in elementary school, but with Jenn, once your friendship begins, it will never come to an end.

“I had the pleasure of having Jenn in my life since we were both 6 years old. It was always us and Bi-Isha Lu. We went to school together from day care to high school, and in high school, we rode to school together almost every day because we literally lived around the corner from each other,” Dizzy Walker said. “I remember when my dad died, Jenn drove all the way out to Dallas to pick me up and make sure I was okay. She played a big part in me grieving the loss of my father, and now I have to grieve losing her. Friends like her are so rare.”

If Jennifer found out that one of her friends was going through a hard time, she would not think twice about hopping in her car and driving, despite how many hours it would take, just so she could cheer up that person.

“I remember this day like it was yesterday. Jenn kept calling and questioning me [from Texarkana] even though she knew I was working. At this particular time, I was very suspicious of what she was up to because I could hear it in her voice,” Geoffrey Britt said. “Jenn pulled up [to my salon in Austin] just for me to find [my friend] Jarrett laid back in the passenger seat. G and J square were reunited. We all drank margaritas, had Mexican food, and talked about some heavy stuff because I was going through it at the time. Thank goodness for Jenn, I loved her.”

All it would take was for Jenn to smile and then your mood would instantly be uplifted. She had that effect on people –– that effect to instantly make someone feel happier once they were in her presence.

“[Jennifer] was so funny, I can still hear her laugh in my head. I’ll replay it in my mind everyday. I want it to stick there forever. I want her to call me so bad just to say, ‘How’s my Indiana girl?’ and then we just chat. She always called to chat,” India Thompson said. “I will see her in every good thing: every kind gesture, every beautiful flower, every sunny day, and even when I look at my son I’ll think of her, because she loved him so much.”

The grieving of her family, friends, and even the community will not subside without justice. Despite what happened, memories are what will continue to keep Jenn alive. Go dig out those old high school photos of you and Jenn. Recount on those memories you both shared that still make you laugh to this day. And most of all, don’t waste any time making new memories with the loved ones that you still have around you.

Domestic abuse can happen to anybody –– even to the most unsuspecting person. Intimate partner violence alone affects more than 12 million people every year. While many people, women especially, look past some of the early signs of domestic violence, they begin to grow accustomed to their partner’s neglectful acts. In Jennifer’s case, her desire to see nothing but the good in her partner despite the chaos resulted in a night we all wish could be taken back.

Jenn’s life will forever live on through the love of others and through the kind words that will continue to be spoken of her each and every day. Jennifer’s funeral will be limited to close family and friends on August 21, 2021, but the entire community is encouraged to come together on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, at Heritage Baptist Church at 7:45 p.m. for a candle lighting in honor of her life and to stand in solidity against domestic violence.

If you feel like you might be in danger within your relationship, don’t hesitate to reach out for help before it’s too late. Your life isn’t worth giving someone a second chance.

Domestic Abuse Hotline: Call 1-800-799-7233 or text “START” to 88788.

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Justice for Jenn