By Dr. Marlene Salas-Provance
In every profession, there are people who leave a mark not just through their words, but through their courage, kindness, and quiet resolve to make a difference. Mr. Jimmie Jinx was one of those rare individuals.
I first met Mr. Jinx one early morning at a long-term care facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. I was there to speak about my work with Rotaplast International, sharing how we provide cleft lip and palate speech therapy to children around the world. After my talk, a gentleman approached me—bright-eyed and warm in demeanor. He introduced himself as Jimmie Jinx and thanked me for my presentation. Then, in a moment I’ll never forget, he removed his speech bulb and told me that he had been born with a cleft lip and palate. He had never received speech therapy and had lived his entire life with severely hypernasal and mostly unintelligible speech.
Despite these challenges, Jimmie was an educated man, a talented engineer, and—perhaps most importantly—a person of deep compassion and strength. I was moved to tears. I embraced him that morning, and from that moment on, we became dear friends.
What followed was a partnership rooted in empathy, education, and mutual admiration. I invited Mr. Jinx to speak to my graduate class on cleft lip and palate. For four consecutive years, he joined us—sharing his life story and giving voice to a journey marked by perseverance and hope. My students, who demonstrated therapy techniques and discussed treatment methods with him, were always deeply touched. Every session ended with a room full of tears, admiration, and renewed purpose.
But Mr. Jinx’s contributions didn’t stop in the classroom. He became an enthusiastic supporter of our student service trips to Lima, Peru, where we provided post-operative therapy to children with cleft conditions. Not only did he support these trips, but he also organized fundraisers within his long-term care facility, bringing awareness and purpose to the residents and connecting them to the students’ mission. His generosity helped launch experiences that would transform young clinicians’ careers.
Photo: University graduate students with Mr. Jinx (center)
In return, the students brought back stories and tokens from Peru, including the vibrant Peruvian belt he proudly wore. They shared photos and heartfelt thank-yous. One of Mr. Jinx’s most cherished moments was receiving the Friends of Communication Disorders award from the university—a recognition he deeply earned.
Over the years, our bond grew. Jimmie joined my family for meals and gatherings, and we visited him often. I was honored to be with him in the final moments of his life.
Even in passing, Mr. Jinx’s generosity endured. He left behind a student training gift—one final gesture to support the education and outreach he had grown to love. I was entrusted to use the funds in the way I saw best, and there was no question in my mind: these funds would support student training through Rotaplast International.
In 2025, two students received funding to attend a mission in Cebu, Philippines, where they provided speech therapy services to children over two weeks. Their experience was profound—they returned inspired, prepared, and forever changed, just as Mr. Jinx had hoped.
Jimmie Jinx’s legacy is not just in the lives he touched while living, but in the ripple effect he set in motion. Through his courage to speak, his willingness to share, and his unshakeable belief in the power of education, he transformed a personal story of struggle into a source of strength for future generations.
His voice—once misunderstood—now echoes in every classroom, every clinic, and every mission trip fueled by the gift he gave. His life, indeed, made life worth living—not just for himself, but for all who will follow in his path.
Thank you, Mr. Jinx. Your legacy lives on.
In honor of Jimmie Jinx’s powerful legacy, a donation to Rotaplast is more than a gift—it is a continuation of his life’s mission. Jimmie believed in turning pain into purpose and story into strength. By supporting Rotaplast, we ensure that children around the world receive life-changing cleft lip and palate surgeries, opening the door to a future filled with possibility.