Known for her infectious smile, willingness to do anything and ability to befriend almost anyone, she made a mark on many people’s lives. Her family, friends and professors are honoring Giana by reflecting on all the memories they’ve had with her.  

Her brother, Dylan Driver (English, Senior) took time to tell us about her adventurous personality and how she was always on the forefront of trying new things. Driver described her as, “fearless, the first one to try anything crazy whether it be skydiving with her best friend or traveling abroad in Spain and Europe.”

Her adventurous nature went hand in hand with her ability to make friends wherever she went.  

“Miss social, there was never a time when she didn’t have friends. She was always kind to people,”  Dylan said.

When her best friends, Cynthia Gulley and Alyssa Jimenez, remember her they remember the close personal times they had together.

“She was always unapologetically herself. You couldn’t embarrass her, she was full of laughter and happiness,” Gulley said.

“She was one of the most loving people I’ve ever met, very family oriented and her friends became her family,” Jimenez said.

Even though her passing was the week of Thanksgiving, Giana took part in a Friends-giving tradition with her friends a few days prior to the accident.

“This started about five years ago in our apartment and it was the last time we all got together. It was a huge group of friends, all of them friends that we still hang out with from high school. Probably about 20 people came over and celebrated with us,” Gulley said.

“Her mom was her everything, she had a list on her wall in her room of things she was thankful for and the number one thing was her mom,” Gulley said.

Giana’s aunt Lara Laird, has set up a Gofundme page to support Giana’s family through this difficult time. Many friends and family have donated in the last weeks and they are close to their goal of $20,000. She also started the hashtag #BeaGiana to encourage people to remember the person Giana was.

Giana was one semester away from graduating at Stan State with a Sociology degree and had been working at Woodside Property Management.

Carol Cabral, a Stan State Professor Carol Cabral from the Sociology Department had the chance to get to know Jordan through her “Sociology of the Family” course this fall. Jordan made a great impression on her through the time in her class.

“Giana was always very friendly and expressed her opinion throughout class. She never missed a single class,”  Cabral said. “To #BeaGiana you need to be honest, forthcoming, friendly and heartwarming just like she was.” 

In an interview with Giana’s father Tony Jordan,  he had  many positive and loving things to say. He described her as a fun loving, spirit-filled soul who loved life and took every day in stride.

“Her bright eyes and warm smile could just brighten a room,” Jordan said.  

 The ceremony for Giana Jordan was held Saturday, December 3 at Big Valley grace Church.

 Jordan aspired that the lovely ceremony accomplished two goals: to honor Giana’s life and they way she lived it and to glorify God as a part of their faith. He thought that her ceremony gave hope to people who question their own mortality and what happens after death.

Jordan shared that if he had the opportunity to speak to his daughter one more time he would remind her of how much they loved her.

“I would tell her: Giana we love and miss you dearly and we will be ok and we will get through this. I am so happy that you crossed so many things off your bucket list in your short life,” Jordan said.