Jason Nicholas Alexander Crockett

My big brother Jason passed away on Wednesday 12th May 2010, at home after an 18 month battle with cancer, during which he showed tremendous courage and determination. The resolute and brave manner he displayed throughout his struggle serves as an example to those he leaves behind to never lose hope in the face of adversity.

Jason was a unique individual, special to all who knew him, always generous, warm, loving and kind. His cheeky grin and outrageous sense of humour will be missed by us all, and we will cherish our memories with him forever.

His funeral was held at 2pm on Wednesday, 19th May 2010, at The Church of St Nicholas, Remenham, followed by a reception at the family home for close friends and family. In accordance with Jason’s wishes, the occasion was a colourful and joyful celebration of his life.

Donations to Barts and The London Cancer Care Appeal:
www.justgiving.com/JasonCrockett


This is the tribute which was read at his funeral:

I am lucky to have had Jason as a brother. He was the most generous and loving person, and his warm, kind-hearted nature touched the hearts of many. A unique individual, he was special to all who knew him, and since his passing, the response we have had from his friends and acquaintances has been overwhelming.

Jason was the type of person that was afraid to upset others. He would go out of his way to please people, even to his own detriment. That said, he wasn’t always an absolute angel! He was often the terror of the family… up to no good and pestering someone… But it was exactly this trait that was one of his most special attributes. His naughty nature, combined with his outrageously quirky sense of humour were recipe in later life for countless pranks and practical jokes which he would play on people all the time.

Jason always had so much energy. Last summer for example after his first operation from which he made a remarkable recovery, we were in Sardinia together and he was straight in the water. Unable to use his arms, he spent an hour kicking backwards and forwards across the bay.

He was such good company – the fact that he had so many friends is testament to that. He was always on top form when out on the town.

Something which would always amaze me was his ability to attract the girls, who were drawn to him under the spell of his formidable smile, his wonderfully charming personality and cheeky nature.

Wherever he went he made friends easily. Jason was a good and fiercely loyal friend and had a natural joie de vivre which he displayed in everything he did with great enthusiasm…

He loved colour and especially flowers. He specifically requested that the church today be filled with bright and colourful blooms of the season. I think he would have been happy with the turn out at his funeral.

When at home during the past 18 months Jason found himself with a lot of time on his hands. He would watch a lot of films and TV programmes. Unfortunately his favourites included such disgraceful things as “Come dine with me” and even more embarrassingly… The X-factor. He became a master at Wii, particularly Mariokart, and would get infuriated if he ever lost, which was a rare occurrence.

Jason had a quick-witted and creative mind. Despite recently being restricted to his chair he would come up with fantastical answers if ever asked what he was up to. “Re-enacting the Battle of Hastings in full costume” was one answer.

From an early age Jason loved the dogs, and they kept him good company. This started with Snuff the giant Labrador who he would ride as if he was Aslan (from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe). More recently he found himself under siege by bichon frises, his favourite being Minx who he tormented lovingly.

At school Jason was a keen sportsman. He rowed for Eton setting a record at the School’s Head of the River, and was a keen rugby player at school and at UCL. He was a very strong swimmer and was in the First waterpolo team at school and at university.

Jason enjoyed football above all, but due to the fact that he had two left feet, he was left to being an avid supporter – he would kill me for saying that...
His passion was for Newcastle, and one might possibly trace the decline in HIS health to Newcastle’s relegation!

Although a responsible adult, Jason was a child at heart: a Peter Pan who never wanted to grow up. He loved cartoons and has an extensive collection of graphic novels and comic books. From a young age Jason wanted to be Spiderman, his impressions of him can be seen in a number of childhood photos, he had the pyjamas and the toys.

Jason was the definitive techie, always multi tasking on his many gadgets. You’d be lucky to get any face time with him, as he was always downloading things, watching tv, listening to the radio, texting, etc. He liked to know what was going on and you could always trust him to fill you in on the gossip. If you wanted to buy something you would always check with Jason first.

He loved music and had a song for every mood. If you needed cheering up, going out, or just wanted to feel sorry for yourself, he’d tell you what to listen to. I am sure that many people have special songs that relate to Jason. Besides that, he was an outrageous dancer who would challenge anyone on the dance floor…

As children we all went on school holidays together to the family homes in Switzerland and Sardinia. Jason loved Switzerland at winter and especially bombing down the slopes on skiis and on the sledges! It was Italy though that he really fell in love with. He was fluent in Italian, and loved his summers in Sardinia.

One of Jason’s many gifts was languages and culture. Italian, Chinese, German, French, he always knew the right phrase for the right time.

The way Jason coped with his illness is something we must all learn from.

Jason was diagnosed with cancer in September 2008. He never gave up his fight and took each round of chemotherapy like a true warrior. Gradually he became weaker but he would never admit it. He always had a special twinkle in his bright shining eyes, no matter how he may have appeared otherwise, his eyes were full of life to the end.

He never asked for help even when it was obvious he needed it. He never wanted to bother people. He never took those who helped him for granted. And he never took advantage. He never complained, even when things went wrong. He was always polite, even when he would have been fully entitled go crazy with someone. He took it all, and still managed to smile.

This was a lesson on how to be brave, on how to be courageous, and on how to never lose hope, even when all the odds are stacked against you. We must never forget this lesson.

Jason’s battle with cancer revealed many things about him and those who loved him, and although this is a tribute to Jason, let me speak on HIS behalf to thank his and our close friends and his girlfriend Beth for all their support. The biggest thank you goes to our parents for their unwavering love, support and devotion.

Jason, you are missed by us all, and we will cherish our memories of you forever.
You are now in the fields of Elysium with the sun on your face. In the words of Juba, you now “are free. I will see you again... but not yet... not yet!”