I know this place is called the playground, so I'm sorry if this is a little non playground, but I wanted to share a little about the best friend I've ever had and ever will have. Please indulge me and I hope this gives a little insight into the real Jussforfun, Jon.
Knowing him, he never shared his background with you, he was very modest, but was a remarkable guy. As you all now know, he passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon after fighting cancer for over 4 years. He wasn't scared to die and would say that he'd had a good innings.
He was born and raised in Australia grew up in the outback, "Beyond the Black Stump." he would say.
He was a member of the 1980 Olympic swim team, but didn't get to compete because his appendix burst 4 days before they were supposed to leave Australia.
He joined the Royal Australian Air Force and trained as a fighter pilot, he was a member of Number 1 Squadron based out of Amberlee Air Force Base and flew F/A 18's until he was grounded because he couldn't pass his eyesight test.
He was an avid sports participant and after the Air Force concentrated on Australia Rules Football, (Aussie rues) and played professional football for nearly three years until a devastating knee injury ended his career. He was successful at anything he tried.
He was the most generous person I've ever met with both his money and his time. Every thanksgiving he would donate a truck load (A big rig truckload ) of turkey's anonymously to the Red Cross in Southern California, At Christmas he would buy a box of envelopes and put a $20 dollar bill in each of them then wander through skid row in LA and hand them out. he would also go to the local Mattell factory close to where he lived and where there is a Boys and Girls home for orphans and the kids would get to walk through their store and pick any item they wanted and he'd pick up the tab, again anonymously.
Every time he went for treatments to the hospital where he was treated he'd get a late afternoon appointment so he could spend the day in the pediatric wards visiting with the kids, he kept the place stocked with kids books, crayons, video games, teddy bears. He had a hard time controlling his emotions when it came to them, and always said thats why he wasn't scared of dying, seeing the strength in the kids faces who hadn't had a chance to experience life.
He would have been a great father but was never able to have kids himself.
His funeral will be held this coming Saturday and this was the song he wanted to have played as they remove the coffin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFr03FpjVP8&feature=related
This song came out a few years back and he laughed and said that Tim McGraw wrote it for him, of course it wasn't but he sure lived up to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiOcW_YR1G8
After the first round of cancer he did nothing but do the stuff he'd always wanted to do, Scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef, Went to Italy took me with him to attend a 2 week culinary school in Tuscany, Hiked up Half Dome in Yosemite, Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, Followed the Tour De France on a road bike, He was always calling me to tell me about the next thing he had planned, definitely had his Bucket List.
He had just recently come back to this site and he met a very special girl Passionategirl that he was crazy about. One day hopefully I'll get to meet her, I know she's just as devastated as me over this loss. Send her a hug!
I'm sorry if I have gone on about the guy, but I loved him so much, and I wanted you all to have a little insight into his life. He truly was one of the good guys, He wasn't extremely religious but he was very spiritual always believing there is a higher power, so I know he's enjoying experiencing that higher power right now, sitting with his dad who he missed terribly, singing Irish folk songs and sipping on his favorite drink, Jamesons on the rocks.
Mate, I love you and it breaks my heart to not be able to be with you anymore my girls adore you and cried themselves to sleep knowing their Uncle Jon wont be around anymore, may you truly rest in peace, no more pain, no more suffering, except for those you leave behind.
God Bless
Knowing him, he never shared his background with you, he was very modest, but was a remarkable guy. As you all now know, he passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon after fighting cancer for over 4 years. He wasn't scared to die and would say that he'd had a good innings.
He was born and raised in Australia grew up in the outback, "Beyond the Black Stump." he would say.
He was a member of the 1980 Olympic swim team, but didn't get to compete because his appendix burst 4 days before they were supposed to leave Australia.
He joined the Royal Australian Air Force and trained as a fighter pilot, he was a member of Number 1 Squadron based out of Amberlee Air Force Base and flew F/A 18's until he was grounded because he couldn't pass his eyesight test.
He was an avid sports participant and after the Air Force concentrated on Australia Rules Football, (Aussie rues) and played professional football for nearly three years until a devastating knee injury ended his career. He was successful at anything he tried.
He was the most generous person I've ever met with both his money and his time. Every thanksgiving he would donate a truck load (A big rig truckload ) of turkey's anonymously to the Red Cross in Southern California, At Christmas he would buy a box of envelopes and put a $20 dollar bill in each of them then wander through skid row in LA and hand them out. he would also go to the local Mattell factory close to where he lived and where there is a Boys and Girls home for orphans and the kids would get to walk through their store and pick any item they wanted and he'd pick up the tab, again anonymously.
Every time he went for treatments to the hospital where he was treated he'd get a late afternoon appointment so he could spend the day in the pediatric wards visiting with the kids, he kept the place stocked with kids books, crayons, video games, teddy bears. He had a hard time controlling his emotions when it came to them, and always said thats why he wasn't scared of dying, seeing the strength in the kids faces who hadn't had a chance to experience life.
He would have been a great father but was never able to have kids himself.
His funeral will be held this coming Saturday and this was the song he wanted to have played as they remove the coffin.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFr03FpjVP8&feature=related
This song came out a few years back and he laughed and said that Tim McGraw wrote it for him, of course it wasn't but he sure lived up to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiOcW_YR1G8
After the first round of cancer he did nothing but do the stuff he'd always wanted to do, Scuba dived on the Great Barrier Reef, Went to Italy took me with him to attend a 2 week culinary school in Tuscany, Hiked up Half Dome in Yosemite, Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, Followed the Tour De France on a road bike, He was always calling me to tell me about the next thing he had planned, definitely had his Bucket List.
He had just recently come back to this site and he met a very special girl Passionategirl that he was crazy about. One day hopefully I'll get to meet her, I know she's just as devastated as me over this loss. Send her a hug!
I'm sorry if I have gone on about the guy, but I loved him so much, and I wanted you all to have a little insight into his life. He truly was one of the good guys, He wasn't extremely religious but he was very spiritual always believing there is a higher power, so I know he's enjoying experiencing that higher power right now, sitting with his dad who he missed terribly, singing Irish folk songs and sipping on his favorite drink, Jamesons on the rocks.
Mate, I love you and it breaks my heart to not be able to be with you anymore my girls adore you and cried themselves to sleep knowing their Uncle Jon wont be around anymore, may you truly rest in peace, no more pain, no more suffering, except for those you leave behind.
God Bless
