JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — In home videos and pictures, you can see the love is undeniable between Bexley and her dad, Jared Bridegan.
She was with him the night the unimaginable happened.
As Jared Bridegan was leaving the Sanctuary neighborhood after dropping off his two older children at his ex-wife's home, police say he stopped to move a tire in the road. It was then police say he was ambushed and shot to death in a targeted murder.
The entire time, two-year-old Bexley sat strapped in her car seat.
It is estimated she was in her car seat for around three minutes before someone was able to help her. She was then surrounded by strangers, bright flashing lights and sirens before being taken to the Jacksonville Beach Police Department.
Sgt. Tonya Tator with the Jacksonville Beach Police Department was with Bexley that night at the station.
"It was very difficult because she was here for a while before her mom got here, and then me being a stranger to her, and obviously the trauma she just went through, you try to do the best that you can," tells Tator.
She says they tried coloring, making up games to play and spent time with the station therapy dog, Jamie, but there was little else at the station to comfort Bexley.
In the months after Jared’s murder, what Bexley went through that night as well weighed heavy on her mother, Kirsten Bridegan’s mind.
"As a mother, you want to do everything you can for your child and while officers did the best they can, I had wished there was more," Kristen Bridegan explains. "More snacks that she was familiar with, you know a sippy cup, so I decided we can make a difference and give Bexley and I an outlet for some of the grief that we are going through."
The idea then moved into a post on Instagram describing the idea to create a box to be kept at police offices and sheriff's departments full of items that could bring a child comfort in traumatic situations.
It pointed towards a registry of diapers, toys for various ages, formula, snacks and other items to fill the first Bexley Box.
The response was overwhelming.
"It was box, upon box, upon box and Bexley got so excited to open the door and bring them in and unpack them and organize them. It was incredible," tells Kristen Bridegan.
She says she was blown away by the generosity and the response from law enforcement that the need for something like a Bexley Box is there. Kristen Bridegan says it gave her a way to focus her thoughts and energy on something that would honor Jared’s legacy, even in the midst of the pain.
"There is still grief, but we are learning how to live with it and kind of shift the energy that goes toward the sadness to something more positive, like what can we do with this. Rather than just wallow in it, let’s shift that focus somewhere else and that is where the Bexley Boxes are coming in," she explains.
The first Bexley Box went to the Jacksonville Beach Police Department. A full circle moment for her, Bexley and the officers that were with them that night.
As the donations continued to come in, Kirsten and members of Jared’s family established The Bridegan Foundation with the goal of providing a Bexley Box full of comfort items and necessities for children to any police station or sheriff’s office that needs one.
They’ve delivered multiple Bexley Boxes around our area and even one to a police station in Texas.
Tator says the Bexley Box at Jacksonville Beach has already helped children that have had to spend time at the station and she is continually impressed with the strength Kirsten has shown over the last year.
"Very amazed with her strength, that she was reached deep down and she has tried to turn this horrific event in her life and that of her children into something positive," tells Tator, "So for her to move forward and say let’s do something good is great and I am very proud of her for going that direction because I have seen it go other directions where people go downhill, but she has kept moving forward for her kids and the memory of Jared and I think it is great what she is doing."
Kristen Bridegan says a year ago she didn’t know how she would even function without Jared, but in time their family is finding its way and Jared would be proud of how far they’ve come.
"I think he would be really proud that we are doing something good, that we are helping other people. He really enjoyed helping people, so I think he would be really proud of this and proud that we would have a part in something positive," she says. "That his death wouldn’t just be negative, it wouldn’t just be the tragedy, there would be something good coming from that and I think that would give him some peace."
If you want to get involved, they are looking for volunteers to help build and deliver the Bexley Boxes.
To reach out or donate visit www.BrideganFoundation.org