Remembering Emily Javadi

Family announces celebration of life services for 'amazing soul' Emily Javadi

The family of Emily Gabrielle Javadi, the vibrant 34-year-old woman who was killed in a tragic car accident on February 10, have announced details about her services. There will be a celebration of life memorial on February 14 at the Granada Theater from noon-1 pm, followed by a second event at Hotel ZaZa from 2-4 pm.

"This is a celebration for her amazing soul, and exactly as she would want it," said her sister Adrienne Morigi.

Javadi was struck by a speeding car, driven by Travis Elwell, 23, who was charged with intoxication manslaughter. Javadi was standing at the curb, leaning into the backseat of a parked car when Elwell crashed into it, throwing her into a metal pole.

Javadi was a business analyst who worked for Baylor. She was a dedicated athlete, warm hostess and a loyal friend with a wide reach into many circles, says close friend Chasity Ann Noel.

"Her death touched many people because she was connected to so many diverse groups and different people in the Dallas community," Noel says. She had her CrossFit workout friends. She had her open-mike music friends. Art friends. Foodie friends. She was so well-connected and meshed well with so many groups of people. And the people she connected with, she really connected with."

Noel says Javadi was very generous with her time and would do anything not only for her best friends, but for people she barely knew. "That's exactly why her energy was so contagious and so many people liked her. She'd do the little things," Noel says.

Noel was part of a circle of close girlfriends who hung out, going out for dinner and drinks or taking turns cooking dinner.

"She loved hosting and having little get-togethers," Noel says. "If it was your birthday this month, she'd volunteer – any excuse to get together and have a good time. She had many circles of friends. That's the impact she had on so many people’s lives."

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Texas ranks among worst states to have a baby, new report says

Photo by Camylla Battani on Unsplash

The best places to have a baby are in the Midwest and the Northeast, not the South, according to the report.

Texas might be a family friendly state, but it certainly isn't baby friendly, according to a new WalletHub study.

Texas earned a dismal rank as No. 45 in WalletHub's 2026 report "Best and Worst States to Have a Baby," which compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 31 "baby friendliness" metrics, such as affordability, health care accessibility, infant care costs, and others.

The top five best states to have a baby, in order, are: Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Dakota, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

Texas ranked 7th worst overall in the U.S. because of how expensive it is to have a child in the state, and because of its low prevalence of healthcare professionals for mothers and children relative to other states.

Across the four main categories in the report, Texas landed 47th nationally for its medical costs, 42nd in healthcare quality, and its baby- and family-friendliness both ranked 34th best in the country.

WalletHub says the average cost for a conventional delivery in the U.S. comes out to more than $15,700, and families with health insurance have an average out-of-pocket cost of about $2,600. The report doesn't break down state-by-state charges, but it ranked Texas 35th and 36th respectively in the national comparisons of states with the lowest costs for hospital cesarean and conventional deliveries.

The cost of childcare is another factor bringing down the state's overall performance, as WalletHub says Texas has the 23rd "best" annual cost of early childcare on average.

Here's how the report broke down the rest of Texas' ranking:

No. 27 – Parental leave policy score
No. 27 – Infant mortality rate
No. 28 – Rate of low-birth weight
No. 44 – Midwives and OB-GYNs per capita
No. 36 – Pediatricians and family medicine physicians per capita
No. 33 – Childcare centers per capita

According to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo, expecting families should consider living in the states that "minimize costs while providing top-notch care for both newborns and their mothers."

"[The best states] also continue to be good environments for parents even long after the birth, with high-quality pediatric care, affordable and accessible child care, and a strong economic environment that makes providing for a child easier,” Lupo said.

Mississippi (No. 51), Alabama (No. 50), Florida (No. 49), New Mexico (No. 48), Nevada (No. 47), and South Carolina (No. 46) all join Texas at the bottom of the list as the worst states to have a baby.

wallethub texas reports families