Honor your hero with thoughts, memories, images and stories.
The relationship status doesn't give the option for "Other" or for "Step-parent" or even just "Parent" so I chose "Friend" because I wasn't sure what else to put down. I don't want to claim the place only your mom, Kathy, can claim.
Your dad & I miss you so much. We were just finally getting back our relationship when you were taken from this earth. We continue to honor you by attending the Gold Star Family events and keeping your memory alive. Sometimes, we just think about you and smile about something we remember. Other times, we think about you and it brings tears to our eyes.
Jonathon & Christopher continue to honor you, their step-brother, byt their military service. Chris, your (full) brother was the first one to get a tatoo in your honor. Jon followed with his and Christopher was the last one to get his.
Ashley's daughter, Halie, is the only one of your neices you ever got to know. Now she has Olivia, Harmony, & Eddie III. Chris and Jenny have a son, Christopher Jason, CJ, named after you, and also Jordan. Amy has her son, Dylan. Jonathon and Candy have their son, Jason David, named after you, too. I don't know what Christopher and Katie plan, but they'll be starting a family soon, too. You have 8 neices and nephews who will not get to know their Uncle Jason.
Just know that you are very much missed. We think about you all the time. The heartache never goes away, it just gets easier to live with.
Please continue to watch over and be the "Guardian Angel" for your little "bros" while they serve. Christopher is in Afghanistan right now. He needs you to have his back. We'll see you again in paradise at our journey's end.
We love you.
Your Dad & Debbie
This past weekend, we attended a Gold Star Family event up in Kentwood, MI. The traveling Viet Man wall was there, as well as the Global War on Terrorism wall. We placed flags in your honor, and there was also a rose from Livingston County.
You have another nephew. Ashley had another one last year. It hurts your dad a lot that none of your (bio) siblings want anything to do with him as long as he's married to me, but it has been 20 years since we got together and became a family. We are very committed go each other and we come as a package deal.
Jonathon is out of the Army and is staying with us right now. He has an appointment with the VA in Fort Wayne/Marion to assess his injuries. He knows he had some issues because of his time in the Military. He & Candy are splitting up. We pray we don't lose out on seeing Jason. He assures us that we won't.
Christopher is also out of the Marine Corps. It's been nearly a year. He plans to try to reenlist in the fall...but he isn't site if he will return to the marines or will go Air Force. He & Katie are expecting a baby boy in September...so of course we would like to see them stay here. We know they need to do what's right for them and we support whatever they decide.
It's so hard to believe that you've been gone for nearly 9 1/2 years. It still seems like yesterday. You never got to see our house here in South Bend, but we're totally remodeling it. We are almost done. You know your dad...he's a perfectionist and has done all the work himself! Outside, we have dedicated to you, because we know you wanted to be a landscape architect. It looks good.
Well...I guess I better close this. I just want you to know that we loved you unconditionally. You ate very much missed.
We love you. We will see you again.
Love, Dad & Deb
Please tell us a funny story about your child.
When I first started dating his dad, he was 12 yrs old. His brother was almost 11. My boys were almost 7 & 4, but they still invited Jon & Chris to play "demolition derby" with them. That meant bringing Jon's & Chris's matchbox cars over, running them thru the sand, crashing them together, and crunching them with channel locks! Jon & Chris were too young to realize what that meant! Jason & Chris didn't mean to be mean to them...but they had already crunched all of THEIR card, do they needed more to demolish! I still chuckle when I think about that...even though I was VERY mad at the time.
Tell us about your child’s personality.
Very happy and easy going. He never met a stranger, because everyone wad just a friend he hadn't met yet.
How has the loss of your child impacted your family?
All 6 "kids" are now older than he was when he died. It wad hard for them. Christopher & Jonathon may not have enlisted if he hadn't died...but because they did, they met their wives because of where they were stationed and deployed. His dad, Loren, had a very tough time because Jason was his oldest. He went thru so much when Jason was born and had to be rushed to UofM hospital. He is missed a lot...especially during Lent, since he was buried on Easter Monday...this year Easter was an anniversary, so that was tough.
What did you love most about your child?
His ability to love and accept others.
What did your child enjoy most about serving in the military?
The sense of family.
What did your child want to be when they grew up?
A landscape architect
What do you miss most about your child?
His smile and sense of humor.
What has been the greatest challenge since the loss of your child?
Getting thru the anniversaries
What inspired your child to join the military?
We don't know for sure.
What message would you like to share with families with a loved one still serving in the military?
You have to support them no matter what. It was agony letting Jon go to Iraq and letting Chris go to Afghanistan, but they both came home. You will worry about them, but just because you've lost one person, doesn't necessarily mean you'll lose another. Just keep loving them and supporting them.
What message would you like to share with other Gold Star families?
The grief will never totally go away, but it does get easier with time. It isn't always as raw as it is in the beginning. Grief is a journey. Don't try to go it alone. Meeting with other Gold Star families helps. Nobody can understand unless they've been there...even others who have lost a child who wasn't Military don't fully understand. Reach out...there are groups that can help you begin to heal.
What was your child like in high school?
He wad a football jock.
What was your child most passionate about?
Animals
What was your Hero like as a child?
Jason was a very happy child. He had the best smile. He was a great big brother, to his bio sibs and his step-brothers.
Which hobbies or activities did your child enjoy most?
He loved to hunt and fish. He loved riding motorcycles.