What Is Your Legacy?
- Haven Magazine
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
Every year on May 21, a quiet ripple turns into a wave—a movement known as National Legacy Day. For many, it’s simply a date on the calendar. But for Jill Thompson, Director of Legacy of Hope, it’s a living, breathing tribute to something much deeper. “National Legacy Day is May 21, and that is Inheritance of Hope’s Founder’s Day,” Jill shares. “It’s the day we started—May 21, 2007.”
It all began with love. And loss. And the kind of strength that blooms in the face of unimaginable odds.
Jill’s best friend, Kristen Milligan, was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer on her 30th birthday. At the time, her children were only six months, two, and four. Jill and Kristen were young mothers walking side-by-side into motherhood… and now, into the unknown.
“Kristen lived for nine years with that diagnosis,” Jill says. “She passed away at 39. But she lived those years intentionally—planning, loving, and creating a legacy that still echoes through thousands of lives today.”
Kristen’s legacy is Inheritance of Hope, a nonprofit walking towards families facing terminal illness when so many instinctively step away. “We serve families in lots of ways,” Jill explains, “but in May, on National Legacy Day, we ask everyone—not just those facing illness—to think about legacy. To consider living intentionally, today.”
The challenge is simple, but profound: What is your legacy? Does it matter? Are you making an impact? Jill and her team invite people across the country to join two intentional acts during May:
1. Honor someone who has made a meaningful impact on your life. “You can post on social media and tag Inheritance of Hope, or do something that would matter to that person—donate to a cause they loved, volunteer, or even just share their story with someone new,” Jill says. “We want to know. We want to celebrate with you.”
2. Live today in a way that builds your legacy. “Don’t wait,” Jill urges. “Legacy isn’t just about what you leave behind when you're gone. It’s the impact you make while you’re here—in everyday moments, in the way you love, serve, and show up.”
This year, Inheritance of Hope’s reach extends further thanks to local initiatives like Hope Hub in the Lakeland-Tampa area. It’s a cozy, heartful space for families to connect, grieve, laugh, and support one another—especially those walking through the wilderness of terminal illness.
“When one person is diagnosed, the entire family is affected,” Jill says. “Roles shift. A spouse becomes a caregiver. A child has to grow up faster. And there’s so much grief—anticipatory grief. But in community, there’s strength.”
That community fosters something Inheritance of Hope calls "jorrow"—a blend of joy and sorrow.
“It may sound impossible, but it’s not,” Jill says with a soft smile. “We see it every day. Families laughing together even while holding deep grief. You can feel joy and sorrow at the same time. It’s powerful.”
It’s also a sacred reminder that love and loss are inseparable.
“I’ve learned that grief is part of love,” Jill reflects. “The deeper the love, the deeper the grief. That pain—it’s proof that you loved deeply. That you were loved.”
And so, on May 21, Jill honors Kristen’s legacy the best way she knows how: by helping others build their own. “The work I do every day is how I honor her. It’s my legacy too. And I hope that, just like Kristen, I’ll still be making an impact long after I’m gone.”
That’s the heartbeat of National Legacy Day. It’s not about grand gestures or dramatic goodbyes. It’s about waking up and saying, Today matters. I can do something with it.
So, what will your legacy be?
Who will you honor?
And how will you live—today—to make it count?
