So much of our youth is spent wanting to be truly seen, heard, and to belong.  For some, simple, youthful days are memorialized by great moments with friends, family, or playing sports. On May 2nd, our community of Immokalee lost Jean, a young 19-year-old student athlete, to a years-long battle with cancer.  While those closest to Jean knew this day was on the horizon, his passing left family and friends reeling from the loss. This short film of Jean with a narrated poem by his sister, Meme, was not even meant to be In Memoriam. It had been meant to highlight his life as he lived and breathed and battled against his illness. It was meant to show the endurance and quality of his heart for his family, friends, and community. It was meant to be a message of love, and dreams and a battle cry to other youth in our community that even when all feel’s lost, there is still hope, and that our stories matter.
From his early days playing Pop Warner, even when he was the smallest one on the team he had the biggest heart. One game he looked up to the coach to say, “give me the BALL! I’m not scared of those other players even though they’re bigger than me”. Since he was first diagnosed with cancer at age 15, Jean never let on how much he was enduring, or how much pain he might be in, he would still wear his beautiful smile proudly. He had natural athletic ability and was coachable. He embodied that warrior spirit that we are so often drawn to when watching good athletes.
Jean was down for any adventure or hanging out with his friends or family, even after and probably more so after his cancer diagnoses.  His heart was always filled for others, especially his siblings. In his last months, he had loved being able to ride his four-wheeler and was looking forward to getting to ride a bigger and faster four-wheeler on one last adventure with his crew.  While we can no longer make that wish come true, we can offer his family this fundraiser towards funeral expenses.  It’s our hope that you will share Jean’s story, video, and consider donating.  May we all be Jean STRONG in all we do!