Jessica Shepard Watts, PhD

@TDFHereforGood Formerly Axxess, UNT, UTD, United Way Dallas. Balancing 3 humans under 8, academia, community & everything in between w/ lots of caffeine

[Jessica Shepard Watts, PhD @JessicaWatts514]

Still beaming from @DallasBizNews 40 Under 40 Awards last night! Enjoyed celebrating with my family, leaders that have inspired me, and colleagues turned dear friends. Proud to represent @TDFHereforGood #DallasBusinessJournal #40Under40

[Mr.K @Realsociedad10m]

W杯でアメリカ行かれる方へ
宿泊先のホテル近くに Texas Roadhouse があったら即GO‼チェーン系のレストランですけどコスパ最強のステーキが食べられます。 特に Ribeye が最高

[Serena Williams @serenawilliams]

Good news travels fast.

[Jessica Shepard Watts, PhD @JessicaWatts514]

@WillBoucek I’m always baffled as well. I played junior tennis in Miami and college tennis in the Texas heat. Playing during the highest temps, and while in college a bit dehydrated at times! Never reacted like these pros.

[Roland-Garros @rolandgarros]

From 2005 to 2026: 19 Roland-Garros appearances, countless memories.

Merci La Monf 🧡

[Jenn Neville-Lake @isda1979]

Once upon a time, my little family was made up of 5...alive.
I was 36 when this pic was taken, a week before my 10th wedding anniversary.
All of my kids died before my 10th anniversary.
Today I am 47& I am the only one left alive in this photo.

[NASA @NASA]

Welcome home Reid, Victor, Christina, and Jeremy! 🫶

The Artemis II astronauts have splashed down at 8:07pm ET (0007 UTC April 11), bringing their historic 10-day mission around the Moon to an end.

[Dallas Zoo @DallasZoo]

Fresh stripes have arrived! 🐯 On Feb. 22, Suki gave birth to TWO healthy Sumatran tiger cubs! They’re growing strong behind the scenes. Help us name the baby girl — donate & cast your vote by April 20! https://t.co/rcCL5FNidT

[CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil @CBSEveningNews]

A 10-year-old boy who once arrived at the hospital alone for heart surgery is now celebrating his birthday surrounded by family after the doctor who cared for him stepped in to change his life. @SteveHartmanCBS is On the Road in Omaha, Nebraska.

[Jessica Shepard Watts, PhD @JessicaWatts514]

@mhp_guy Max’s is indeed the best!

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

https://t.co/jB6DD34S1D

[Jessica Shepard Watts, PhD @JessicaWatts514]

@criminographer Unimaginable loss. Beautiful children. Sending love from Texas. ❤️💔❤️

[Trey's Law @treys_law]

Support this national movement to free survivors’ voices from NDAs and to hold bad actors accountable.

Check out our community page, learn more about #TreysLaw, and donate at https://t.co/SJXEgp66Kb

#TruthSetFree #NDAfree

[Sarah Nauser @SarahNauser]

I was given a death sentence in a doctor’s office at the age of 29. Tomorrow, I will be 37. To whoever needs to hear it tonight, you are capable of doing hard things, you can defy the odds. Life is precious and it is worth fighting for! #ALS #FightLikeAGirl #DefyAllOdds

[wta @WTA]

Let ‘em know Tay 😤

@TaylorTownsend reaches the Round of 16 in New York for the first time since 2019 after defeating Andreeva 7-5, 6-2.

#USOpen

[SportsCenter @SportsCenter]

AMERICAN TAYLOR TOWNSEND UPSETS NO. 5 MIRRA ANDREEVA AT THE US OPEN 🇺🇸

[anneod7 @anneod7]

He stood strong as a @SanJoseSharks fan forever!

[San Jose Sharks @SanJoseSharks]

The entire Sharks organization mourns the loss of one of our toughest fans, Paddy O'Donnell, who passed away this past weekend.

Our thoughts are with the O’Donnell family and everyone who knew Paddy. 🩵💜

[ESPN @espn]

VENUS. WILLIAMS. 🔥

In her 25th US Open, Venus Williams is one set away from Round 2.

📺 ESPN

[Annie O’D ❤️‍🔥 Hockey & Fashion @sweetannieod]

It is with a broken heart that I share my sweet baby brother Paddy joined our Heavenly Father this weekend and is off on his next adventure 🤍

Jobs finished, the fight is won. They gave Paddy six months, he gave it 3 years. Fought til the final horn sounded, into overtime and the shootout. He faced the battle of his life with the same mentality he has as a goalie in net: humble, confident, positive, determined, focusing on one shot at a time, with a smile on his face. He was fearless in the face of uncertainty. He never complained, never gave up. My broken heart is filled with so much love and pride to be his sister.

It was the honor of my life to be by his side through this fight, I would’ve done it forever, whatever it took. While his time on earth was too short, his impact on those who have the privilege to know him, his heart or know his story will live forever. I will spend the rest of my life trying to be more like Paddy and make him as proud of me as I am of him.

I’ll miss his infectious laugh, his smile, those perfect eyelashes, going to hockey games with him to cheer on his Sharks or his buddy Lukáš in net, our nights just hanging out on the couch watching movies, quoting Squidward and King Julian back & forth, arguing over who has the better music taste, our car rides to pick up dinner and then McDonald’s diet cokes after because the McDonald’s fountain is far superior than any other restaurant.

I hope Heaven is filled with endless stick time on the most perfect ice, the best poke, delicious hot ramen, cookies and cream ice cream, the juiciest mangoes, and avocados that are always perfectly ripe. I know your new teammates are already cracking up at your one liners in the locker room.

I’ll look for you everywhere and in every lifetime. I love you the most, Paddy ☘️❤️

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

A chance meeting that changed my life...

On July 14, I got a message that stopped me in my tracks:

It was from a man named Wade Lytal. His 8-year-old daughter, Kellyanne, was one of the 27 little girls who lost their lives in the tragic flooding at Camp Mystic on July 4.

"Being a college football coach it is easy to drift away and only focus on my career but the way you explained the real amount of time we have with our kiddos really struck me. It helped me cherish those last few months I had with my daughter. It made a lasting impact on my life."

I read it aloud to my wife, our son nearby playing with his toys, and we both immediately began to cry.

To have suffered such an unimaginable loss—and yet, to have the grace, presence, and spirit to send a message like that—I knew this man was different.

I knew I had to meet him.

Last week, I pulled up to a small lunch restaurant in San Antonio and sat in the courtyard.

A young man came around the corner and entered the courtyard, a warm smile masking his tired eyes.

For an hour, we sat and talked over a simple meal.

About his daughter, Kellyanne, a beautiful girl with a heart overflowing with kindness and a bold, courageous spirit.

About loss. The struggle. The indescribably painful waves of grief.

About faith. The church. The community who had wrapped them in love.

About identity. The questions about never being the same again. About accepting that the same is no longer an option.

About fatherhood. Being a pillar of strength for his wife and second daughter. Showing up for them as his duty. His responsibility.

And most of all, about time. The time he had cherished with Kellyanne. The memories he had created with her. The precious moments. The lack of regrets because he knew he had been present in those last few months. He had really been there.

He had really loved her. And she knew that.

I got in the car, called my wife, and broke down.

All I could think to say was this:

He didn’t know it was the last time. But he lived like it was.

Writer and philosopher Sam Harris once said, “No matter how many times you do something, there will come a day when you do it for the last time.”

There will be a last time your kids want you to read them a bedtime story. A last time you’ll go for a long walk with your sibling. A last time you’ll hug your parents. A last time your friend will call you for support.

All of the things we take for granted today are things we’ll wish we could go back and do.

There’s a last time for all of it.

You won’t know when it’s the last time. But you can live like it is.

***

I feel an immense gratitude and privilege that Wade (@CoachLytal) reached out and allowed me to share this story with the world.

My hope is that it creates ripples in the way you live...

To pause just a little bit longer. To hug just a little bit harder.

To live like it's the last time.