Jason started showing symptoms of dizziness and double vision in March. However, he was diagnosed with vestibular nurios, given steriods and sent on his way. He proceeded to finish his junior year of high school, win a CIF Championship with his baseball team and visit colleges over summer, including the Navy summer seminar where he completed all physical challenges and sea training. After being home from Navy for a few days his dizziness seemed to be getting worse, he started having tingling in his hands and feet, and his walking was becoming a little more uncontrolled. His sister Ashley had just gotten home from her summer job at Samford University in Alabama and the whole family had decided to go to the ER and get an MRI to really get to the bottom of these symptoms.
On the way to the ER Jason changed his mind. He asked if we could go to the beach as a family or go to a pet store and buy another dog. So thats exactly what we did. We went to the movies, enjoyed time at Coronado, kicked the soccer ball on the sand, touched the ocean, ate burgers together for dinner, and got milk shakes. Looking back, God had provided us with one last day as a normal family to enjoy and cherish one another.
The next day, June 25, 2015, was Jasons MRI appointment at Childrens hospital. Jason and his sister were laughing so hard they were crying on the way to the appointment, carrying on about moms driving and the noises in the hallway. Jason came out telling us all about it and we were planning where we wanted to go eat dinner when the nurse poked her head in and said we are going to need you all to stay put until a doctor can come speak with you. The next few minutes would alter our lives forever. The doctor proceeded to tell us there was a large mass on Jasons brain stem in the Pons part of his brain. The unbelievable just became our reality. This was the begining of Jason's witness, his fight, and ultimately the will of God. On the way home from the doctor that night Jason said, "Though He slay me, I will hope in Him." Job 13:15. This verse would prove to be Jasons attitude and selfless mindset through his fight with Cancer. His heart was for other people to fall in love with Jesus like he had.
We met with doctors, had appointment after appointment and was told that this was a 1 in a million tumor that had no survival rate. At that moment Jason turned to his doctor and said, "I'll be the first, I'll be the one in the text book, I am not scared." With all his friends around him in the office that day we bowed our heads before The Lord and begged for guidance, courage, discernment, and wisdom.
For the next few months Jason would touch thousands bringing glory to Jesus' name everytime. In the radiation clinic he would pass out Don't Waste Your Cancer books by John Piper, on the way out of a restaurant he would yell Jesus loves you, he would walk the beach board walk with his friend to tell strangers or anyone who would listen about the love of Christ. He talked to every homeless man and prayed with them, gave them Lyonhearted braceletes and asked for continued prayers. On Jasons worst days he would ask for his friends to come over because he wanted to encourage them in their walk with Christ. In the hyperbaric chamber Jason bought, he would record his prayers begging for the salvation of those he loved and those he didn't know. He prayed for our nation, his friends, their relationships, our family, and for the love of Christ to pour out of him. It truly did. He spoke truth from scripture into peoples lives and fought with the courage of a Lyon.
After 6 weeks of radiation with the combination of some holistic drugs from the Hope for Cancer Clinic we met with the doctor to see the progress. He gave us hopeful results and Jason continued his discipline in his diet, spiritual discipline, and pouring out the love of Christ to anyone he came in contact with. October 5, 2015 Jason went to bed like any other night but woke his family in the middle of the night having trouble breathing. After 10 days of witnessing the power of Christ and Gods divine hand in Jason's life, he went to be with the Lord.
Jason's life touched thousands and even people that we will never know. Jason hope was salvation. Nothing we could do on this earth could change the circumstances, no movie or song could dull the pain of the reality. The only one his soul found comfort in was Jesus. His goal was then to help other people see their need and purpose in Christ. Jasons life had meaning because of Christ. Not the number of homeruns, goals scored, tackles made, ACT score, or dollars in his bank account it was his Salvation with Christ that mattered. His life will continue to preach the good news of Jesus Christ and those he left here will carry out his mission to the ends of the earth.
To learn more about Jason and his heart for people and Jesus Christ please watch some of his videos!
