Jon was such a genuine, kind and talented friend, and I feel so privileged to have known him over the past few decades.
In high-school, Jon and I would frequently play basketball at the Manchester Field courts during the summer. Were we usually the tallest on the court? Yes. Were we good? Not really. Did our skills improve over the years? That’s up for debate. But did we have fun together? Always. With Jon, it was always just about having a good time. That said, he had no problem flicking the switch on his competitive mode when the video game controllers came out, because he’d wipe the floor with everyone.
If you ever wanted to feel woefully inadequate about playing videos, you had to play against Jon. Out of the dozens (or possibly hundreds) of games I’ve played with him over the years, I can only think of one game that I could routinely beat him in. But now I’m thinking about it, I wonder if he was just letting me win… checkmate, Jon.
In the final months of Jon’s life, we played in a Palworld server together that my 8 year old son, Grant, would sometimes join. Grant loved pretending to be a restauranteur, serving round after round of juice and loaves of bread to anyone willing to indulge, and Jon was always that person. He gobbled up everything Grant threw at him.
One day after school, Grant logged into the world and discovered that Jon had painstakingly crafted an entire restaurant for Grant to live out his digital dreams. Tables, chairs, signs, decor, a bar, a piano, you name it, Jon added it. It was such a selfless, touching gesture that made Grant absolutely glow with joy. A true testament to Jon’s loving and caring personality.
To this day, one of the most memorable moments in my life was when Jon asked me to give a speech at his wedding. At first my reaction was horror, because, well, public speaking. But very quickly I realized it was an honor to be there for Jon like he’d always been for me. I’ll never forget the relief I felt when I looked over to see Jon smiling as we all raised a glass to him and Sarah. I’ll surely be raising more glasses to the wonderful memories I have of him in the future.
He was an amazing friend who will truly be missed.