Older Sister To ‘Dance For Maddie’

Murder Victim’s Older System Says ‘She Would Have Loved It’
From News4Jax.com:

Jessica Clifton was pre-teen girl when her family was thrust in the public eye a decade ago by the murder of her younger sister. This summer, she is about to take different stage as a member of the Jaguars ROAR.

In the 11 years since Maddie Clifton was killed by a 14-year-old neighbor, Jacksonville has gotten to know Maddie’s parents and sister, Jessica.

Jessica said that while she and Maddie were close, her younger sister loved baseball while Jessica was into dance and makeup. Jessica said her desire to be part of The ROAR because it keeps her dancing while being involved in a sport she knows Maddie would love.

Jessica says Maddie loved sports, but she also danced because “I was big sissy, and she wanted to do what I wanted to do.”

Jessica said that she has been passionate about dancing since she was 7 years old, and that constant helped keep her going during the stress and grief of losing Maddie.

“It was very chaotic at home and there it was, very soothing,” Jessica said. “I feel that’s how I’m giving back to her. I’m living my life. I’m going at it.”

Four months ago, Jessica was one of 200 young women who auditioned to be part of The ROAR. She was one of only 32 selected.

“I freaked out. I was running back and forth around the parking lot, so I was very, very excited.”

In the days that Maddie was missing before her body was found underneath her teenage neighbor’s waterbed, the Jaguars paused during a game to ask for help locating her and people throughout the stadium wore yellow ribbons for her safe return.

Remembering that day makes being on the field of Jaguars municipal station even more special.

“She loved football, and for me to be out there watching that game and cheering them on, I think she would have loved it,” Jessica said. “And she would have thought it was the most amazing thing in the world.”

And she remembers Maddie.

“I drive pass her graveyard everyday and blow her a kiss and say, ‘Hey,'” Jessica said. “What makes me happy is I can get up and I can see something, just the wall, and I’ll start laughing because something happened there. Or I can look in the back yard and know that we had some of out best memories in the back yard.”

Jessica is now 22 and busy training to be a nurse. So in addition to 12-hour shifts at a hospital each week, she has three weekly practices with The RoAR.

But she said thinking of her sister makes her stronger, more determined and helps her strive to live life to its fullest.

Watch video reports of this story here.