Seven-year-old Jaxon Boomsma, with his distinctive crossbite and infectious joy, was known by many in Yankton as the cheerful little boy who loved nothing more than spending time on his grandparents’ farms riding tractors.

But a farming accident in April 2017 took Jaxon’s life, forever changing his family and their community.

“We deeply miss him,” said Troy Boomsma, Jaxon’s father. “You never move on from losing a child – you move forward the best you can.”

Moving forward for the Boomsma family – including sister Jaiden, a track athlete at South Dakota State – meant transforming their grief into purpose. As a territory manager for Pioneer Seed Company, Troy realized there was a crucial gap in farm safety education.

“I went online searching for farm safety materials and books for kids and I couldn’t find anything really good,” he said.

This void became the motivation behind their mission.

Working with his sister and children, Troy created “Staying Safe on the Farm with Jaxon,” a children’s book that brings farm safety lessons to life through illustrations based on their family farm. The book, which earned recognition as South Dakota Farm Bureau’s Book of the Year in 2020, has now reached families across 28 states and Canada.

But the book published in late 2019 was just the beginning.

The family established the Jaxon Boomsma Memorial Fund and formed the JLB Mission 23 Committee, bringing together family and friends from Yankton. Their initiatives have ranged from enhancing local parks with memorial benches to establishing an annual scholarship for Yankton High School seniors pursuing agricultural studies.

 Jaiden, who competes in the long jump as well as other track events for the Jackrabbit track team, has become a powerful voice for their cause. Her recent TikTok video about Jaxon has gained over 22 million views.

 “You don’t realize how many families have been affected by farming accidents until you start sharing your story,” said Jaiden, a human biology major who now is taking graduate level courses. “The amount of people who have reached out saying they’ve gone through similar experiences – it’s heartbreaking, but also shows why this work is so important.”

 The family’s advocacy work has evolved into a comprehensive approach to farm safety education. Troy conducts presentations for farmers and high school students, while Jaiden focuses on reaching younger children. Their message emphasizes that while farming provides an incredible lifestyle for families, it requires constant vigilance and awareness.

 “As you get comfortable with something, you can overlook the dangers,” Jaiden said. “That’s why we encourage families to take those extra few seconds to think about safety. When you’re rushing during harvest or busy seasons, that’s often when accidents happen.”

 Yankton’s response to their mission has been overwhelming.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better community to grow up in,” Jaiden said, recalling how her high school counselor and track team rallied around her family.

 The support has continued for Jaiden at college, and her team has embraced her mission. Her coach, David St. John, demonstrated extraordinary sensitivity to her journey.

“He told me my first year here, ‘I care about you as a person, I care about you as an athlete, but I care about you as a person more,’” Jaiden said.

 On the anniversary of her brother’s death, her teammates wore blue ribbons with JLB (Jaxon Liam Boomsma) on their spikes, a gesture that deeply moves her to this day.

Beyond the track team, Jaiden has found support across the entire SDSU community. Students have offered words of support and understanding, many having grown up on farms themselves or known others who have experienced similar tragedies.

“There’s so many [agriculture] kids at SDSU,” she said, noting how many of her fellow students understand farm life and its inherent risks. “Not only the Yankton community, but the entire Midwest community – I’ve never felt so loved and so not alone.”

The agricultural background of many SDSU students has helped them connect with and support her family’s mission to promote farm safety awareness, creating a network of understanding that extends beyond track and field.

Troy emphasizes that their goal isn’t to discourage farming as a family activity but to promote thoughtful safety practices.

“Farming is a great lifestyle. My wife (Sarah Boomsma) and I both grew up on farms – it’s a great place to raise kids,” he said. “We just encourage families to have those important conversations about safety at the dinner table and keep that awareness in front of their kids at all times.”

The impact of the family’s work is growing. The family regularly receives messages from people who have read their book or heard their story, sharing how it has changed their approach to farm safety. They’re developing educational videos for schools and organizations.

“Every farm is different,” Troy said, “but the need for safety awareness is universal.”

The family’s message has resonated strongly in the Midwest, where farming accidents remain an ever-present concern.

For the Boomsmas, their advocacy work has become a way to honor Jaxon’s memory while preventing other families from experiencing similar tragedies. Their motto evolved from “Keep his smile alive” to “Keep all smiles alive,” reflecting their broader mission of protecting all children on farms.

“Jaxon loved life,” Troy said, “and through this work, we’re helping ensure other children can safely experience the joys of farm life that he loved so much.”

The Boomsma family’s journey shows how tragedy can transform into purpose, and how one child’s smile can inspire a movement that touches thousands of lives.

Through their advocacy, education and community work, they’re creating a legacy that extends beyond their South Dakota home – one that works to make farms safer, all while keeping alive the memory of a 7-year-old boy with an unforgettable smile.

As Jaiden continues her track career at SDSU, she carries her brother’s memory into every competition. With a halo and wings tattooed on her skin – replacing the initials she used to write on her wrist – and “JLB” marked on her spikes, she competes not just for herself but for Jaxon.

She’ll continue honoring her brother’s memory at her next meet, the SDSU Holiday Open in Brookings this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7, at the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex.

“Everything that I do, I now do for him.” Jaiden said.