The Jason Risk Memorial Bench Fund

Jason Risk Memorial Bench Fund

There is a giant hole in the universe. Jason has left us. He has fallen through that hole into the next unknown.

First, the basics. Jason was untimely ripped from the world on August 14, 2022 at age 52. He was a lifelong resident of North Hollywood and, to the end, a Hollywood aficionado. He studied film at Cal State Northridge, had a long career at Fox Studios, and made his own films along the way. He was outdoorsy, with a healthy sense of adventure, and a deep, abiding love of Yosemite, which he referred to as his favorite place on Earth.

His warmth, generosity, and long crazy stories will be missed by everyone who knew him – especially his wife, Sydnee, and the amazing family they built together with their children, Dean and Marion. His parents, David and Colleen, siblings Alicia, Alex, Emily and brother-in-law Steve Meaney, nieces Taylor and Avery, brother in-law Michael Lippman, his wife Melissa and nephew little Samuel miss him every day and continue to cherish all the great hikes, the epic joy, and long – ever so long – text messages full of poems, inspiring quotes, and pictures – so many fun pictures. He was a lover of cats, football (the real football), and a pint (even if he did, on occasion, blasphemously add an ice cube to obtain the appropriate chill). He was knowledgeable in the ways of the Force years before anyone had heard of a midichlorian, and he understood the difference between a Took and a Brandybuck.

Jason loved adventure. But not only what we think of as a grand adventure. With Jason, everything could be an adventure, because every outing, every detail, could lead to stories, and those stories could lead to even more adventures and more stories. Finding adventure where others saw the routine was Jason's forte. By turning the routine into an adventure, Jason made everyday life all the more precious.

Jason’s favorite place was Yosemite National Park. He grew up camping with his family, driving along the 99 in their VW Bus. Jason would share his love of Yosemite by bringing friends to experience the epic hike to Half Dome or the spectacular sprays of Vernal Falls. Jason, Sydnee , Dean and Marion would continue the family tradition with the Risk family and friends camping, hiking and swimming in Yosemite’s rivers.

It is the family's wish to make a donation to the preservation of Yosemite in Jason's honor, and if we achieve our goal we will be able to donate a park bench in Yosemite with a memorial plaque for all to visit.