We’ve come together this day-from all over the US – to say hello and give our farewells to a beautiful child….a young boy who is very dear to our hearts. A boy who touched our hearts directly and indirectly… a boy who’s love, generosity, kindness and pureness of heart ….knew no bounds. A boy that we could only hope to emulate…. His name - Jason Fairchild Acevedo - my beloved son who I called Munchkin as a toddler and Munch as a young boy….a beloved brother to Jessica and Dahiia, an uncle to Nicholas, a dear sweet nephew to Signa, Naomi, Eddie, Nitza and Linda, a cousin to Anita, Elisa, Virginia, and so many other Cousins to numerous to mention.
We are here today…..but so is Jason. Yes, he is here with us today, we know this to be true. We could feel him all around us ..his gentle touch.. his gentle spirit. And it warms our heart. It comforts us.
He is telling us that this is not a time for sorrow and grief but a time to rejoice in life. And he’s right. Let us rejoice that he has returned into God’s embrace.
Yes ….we’ve had sorrow and grief….the sorrow and the hurt is deep….we sorrow because he was with us for such a short period of time. And we wish he was still with us today…wish he was here so we could embrace him and show him how much we love him. To spend just one more day with him…so we could treasure that day forever. But he knows we love him. And that is why we’re here …to show our love…for him and for all of those around us.
So let us celebrate his life and recall and cherish the good times we had with Jason during his 14 years that he was with us. I say 14 because he turned 15 only this last March.

Let us always remember those happy times when he played and shared video games with Italia, Nicolas, Jessica and Dahlia - The happy times we spent having long conversations with him. Let us remember the one time when, as a toddler, he pulled a quart of milk out of the refrigerator, tried to drink directly from it and in the process spilled it all over his head and body. The time, again as a toddler, where he took a broom to his Aunt Signa’s patio floor and insisted on sweeping it himself although the broom was three times his size. The time, again as a toddler, when he and his Daddy played dueling guitars together. Where, with his dark shades, he mimicked a rock star and did an Elvis impression while playing his little red guitar (that you could see on the table). Those items on the table belonged to Jason and they are there to remind us of the good times we had with him during his short life.

Jason had an intense interest and an incredible grasp for astronomy and wanted to know more about Black holes, pulsars, dark energy and dark matter. Jason also had an incredible grasp for physics and computers and had a great sense of business. He was a budding entrepreneur with a fellow entrepreneur – his good friend Orion. He established a business name, slogan, logo and Operating Plan and merged his interest in science and business by laying down the foundation for a business that would save the environment from over pollution. He also had an uncanny love for the Japanese culture and was learning to speak the Japanese language. I was teaching him how to read, write and speak Spanish…and he took to it like a duck to water.
In his short life he was a quick learner…he learned to play the drums and was extremely good at it. We bought a professional set of drums because of his passion for music and drum playing. He learned martial arts and always wanting to show off his defensive moves. He also had an elementary school sweetheart named Mary who at age 6 told him that she was going to marry him whether he liked it or not. He was always showering her with gifts for he loved her dearly.

Jason he did the same with so many of his dear friends – he was very giving. There is his good friend Orion and his friend Josh to name two. He has loving cousins his age including Austin, Loni and Garret. His mother Christine was by his side 24/7 aiding in his medical emergencies and I created a new name to describe her herculine efforts to help our son Jason – I dubbed her …the Mominator.

Just so you know, Jason was diagnosed with cancer when he was 12. I saw him limping one day – he was in pain and I knew something was terribly wrong - it was bone cancer. After a year of treatments the cancer went into remission but a year ago we discovered it had returned –and it had aggressively and quickly spread to his lungs, then to his blood and bone marrow. Although it was painful…Jason put up a good fight. A fierce fight. He was our little warrior spirit. He had put up a fierce fight for he had a fierce love for life.

But in the last few days of his life, because his immune system was compromised and almost none existent, he contracted a massive fungus infection in his throat and in his lungs, that was already compromised with cancerous tumors, one the size of a potatoe. He was taken to the hospital whereby they placed him in an Intensive Care Unit and placed in isolation.
His body could not withstand any more onslaughts. We knew he was slipping away and in his final moments his mother Christie held his face in both of her hands and whispered …its ok Jason, its time..you could let go now. Cross over and discover the secrets of the cosmos, Black holes and pulsars, our solar system. He opened his eyes and gave her a small smile and then he quietly passed away at 6 am on a Tuesday morning on July 13th.
The cancer had its way. And it took him away from us …. but only in the flesh. His spirit is still with us, all around us and he will always be with us.

At this time we would like to toll a bell – it’s a traditional Japanese bell called Joya-e-canay, symbolizing harmony and love…..the bell will toll 15 times…once for each year he was with us. During this time, let us bow our heads and say a little prayer.

God had put a little angle on this earth named Jason, just for you and I. Thank you God and thank you Jason for lighting up our lives…for showing US the light….showing us the way-----showing us how precious and short life really is and how we should always show our love for our children, for our parents, our grandparents and friends. To show and express our love at every opportunity and every day of their lifetime.


To all of you here today….
I thank you – for being here with us today during this time of great loss...to comfort us and console us. It’s deeply appreciated more than you know. If someone would like to say a few words to honor our little boy….to share a funny memory …an experience you had with Jason….please come up.
We would like to end Jason’s memorial by handing everyone 1 or 2 balloons – we would like all of you to join us outside and at a signal we’ll release the balloons in unison …to symbolize Jason’s leaving this world to join God and to join all of our love ones that have already crossed over and who have received him and embraced him.

To My Beloved Son Jason:

Cross over to the other shore

Where there is peace forevermore

But hold this memory bittersweet

Until we meet……. again

I will love you forever....and ever.