Jason Dante Hendricks

In writing this remembrance and trying to capture Jason’s life in a concise way, it became more difficult to understand how he could have lived such a “full life” in 20 years. We struggled with the term “full life,” especially given that on the day he passed we were celebrating the 70th birthday for another member of the family. According to many, three scores and 10 years (70) is the nominal span of a human life, so could Jason have lived as full a life at 20, as his uncle is doing at 70?

American poet, Bessie Anderson Stanley, may have provided the answers to this question in 1904, some 95 years before Jason was even born. The answer could be found in her poem entitled “what is success.” As a family, when we look at Jason’s life, and compare it to the words of this poem, we are satisfied and contented that Jason’s life embodies the word “success.”

So, what did Bessie write about Jason and his life? She wrote:

He achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;

Who has enjoyed the trust of pure women, the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;

Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;

Who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty or failed to express it;

Who has left the world better than he found it,

Whether an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;

Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;

Whose life was an inspiration;

Whose memory a benediction.

If you should count the words of this poem, you would realize that Bessie summed up Jason’s life in only 99 words!

Jason Dante Hendricks was born to Donald Hendricks and Judith Thompson Hendricks, on October 13, 1999 in Lake Success Hospital New York. Yes, Lake Success.

As early as 18 months, Jason’s personality and mental brilliance began taking shape.

He was the most lovable and adorable toddler. Whenever we were at church, we always had to look around with probing eyes for Jason, as there was always someone who just wanted to hold him. He seemed to enjoy his frequent trips around the congregation of over 1000 members, going from hand to hand of a select group of people. Jason would always remain quiet as he wandered around the church to appease his inquisitive mind. It was in church that we also realized that we had a socialite on our hands; he often had his own captive audience of young and old that he would entertain, including those that couldn’t resist playing in his full head of curly hair. As you can imagine, this happens in his life as a young adult as well because he wore a bushy bob of a hair until his untimely death.

We also started to understand that he had the sharpest of minds. Jason didn’t speak much before he was age two and we had concerns that maybe something was wrong in his development since he was not verbalizing. This was swiftly laid to rest by his trusted Pediatrician, Dr Oneall Parris, who communicated that Jason was highly intelligent for his age. We also came to the realization that Jason’s brain activity was somewhat unique and impressive, and could be likened to that of a metronome – always ticking over with activity and very connected with time and space – the world around him. Without becoming too scientific, at 18 months, Jason’s biological clock was very active and obvious to myself and Donald at the time. I usually get home from work around 6:00 PM. Whenever I would dare to get home a little after 6:00 PM, I would find Jason bracing on the door awaiting my arrival. This sharpness of mind is the reason Jason excelled in both academics and music.

He along with his Sister and the Secretary of his Elementary School wrote a book entailed, “When You give a Squirrel a Salad.” This was a very happy and proud moment for Jason along with his Sister and elementary School Secretary. Jason also enjoyed acting and play writing. Most recently, he played Joseph in his Church’s Christmas play. His ability to bring life to a story is unforgettable.

Throughout his middle school and high school years, Jason Hendricks was omnipresent on his school’s honor roll. He won the Principals Award for Academics and earned his spot in nationally recognized honor societies. Jason was nominated for the Town of Islip awards for student Achievement. In 2017, Jason graduated with honors from high school, and also got Regent Honors in the New York State Regents Examinations, which are standardized examinations in core high school subjects.

Jason was logical and quick thinking, so it’s no surprise that he also had a shrewdness for mathematics. He received a certificate of excellence in mathematics and also achieved a medal for one of the highest individual score in Math Olympiad, a national competition where the best math students compete against each other. As a point of reference, over 170,000 kids from 35 countries and 6 continents participate in the competition in a school calendar year.

There is credible evidence that people who are really good at math tend to be good at music. Yes, there happens to be an element of mental gymnastics that’s common between mathematicians and musicians. Perhaps a great example of a notable ‘math-musician’ was Albert Einstein, who was not only great with equations but was also an accomplished pianist and violinist.

Those who knew Jason can attest to his affinity for music. He was exposed to music from a very young age and communicated that he was deeply interested in music in the best way a toddler could – through the banging of pots in the kitchen and the use of his other toys as drums. As parents we wanted him to express himself, and so his first exposure to a more formal music instrument was when we bought him a compact electronic drum pad. We recognized immediately his abilities, his focus, and his resilience. You could hear the musical structure taking it’s form even at the age of 4 or 5. He listened keenly to various songs and tried to replicate what he heard. It was not long after that we upgraded that drum pad to a full drum set and his love for music was amplified, literally and figuratively. At the age of 6, after attending his cousin Sophia’s wedding on a boat in Freeport, Long Island, he remarkably replayed and replicated most of the wedding march correctly on his drum set starting two weeks after he attended the wedding.

Although Jason played the drums and loved playing soca beats, his real passion was for the keyboard.

Jason commanded the keyboard with the grace of an antelope. At a young age he had private piano lessons at home and at one time had one of his teachers crying that she could not teach him because he knew more music than she knew. His knowledge and ability around the keyboard grew exponentially over a few months and within the year Jason made history at his school. As a 6th grader, he was awarded a place in the school’s Jazz Band – an unprecedented move by the school. He went on to make the all-county band in 2012 – 2013, received a Certificate of Merit from SCMEA and even performed with some of his teachers.

It is believed that only one in a million musicians in the world is able to hear and replicate music the way he could. He played seven different instruments: Keyboard, Bass guitar, acoustics guitar, French horn, trumpet, recorder and drums. Jason had perfect pitch. He also sang in his School Choir, played in the Green Machine Marching Band and The Select Band (The highest school band). He mastered the lyrics of most of the Popstar’s songs and would display his funny but cute dance moves whenever the opportunity presented itself. Although if you should ask his only sister Abby, she would tell you he didn’t know the first thing about dancing.

In more recent times Jason’s musical talents lead him to making his own music, building his own beats, and rapping. He was in the process of full music production, with some of his compilations highly sought by many as we speak.

Although many people knew Jason through his musical abilities and not so much for his dancing, what really defines this young man is his personality. Jason was one of the most thoughtful persons you could have met. He was a true gentleman that’s both fun and funny!

We asked his cousin, Simon, a simple question – if you were to describe Jason’s personality to someone who has never met him, how would you describe him? Simon summed it up simply; he said, “someone who can brighten up the mood without trying. I’d tell them not to be nervous or anything because he would erase all the awkwardness out the air within 5 seconds of meeting them. He would probably make them laugh within the next 15 too.”

Yes, Jason was a true socialite who gave of himself. He was the epitome of a people-person, who tends to sacrifice his happiness for the happiness of others. Simon added that, “if he wasn’t feeling well you wouldn’t know it because he always exudes happiness and gave off the kind of energy most folks would want 24/7. And if you weren’t feeling well, he would find a way to make you better.”

Jason had a quirky and goofy personality that always seem to find a way to bring about a smile to a face that had frown.

He was also very impulsive. He probably thought about something for a second, and within the next second, he would make up his mind to do it. For example, Jason loves going to the mall and shopping. He would often ask “should I buy this?” but then he wouldn’t wait for your response but would just buy the same item. It almost feels like his brain was moving at a much faster rate than ours, and this is probably the case since Jason always gravitated toward things that are pulsating. He was a thrill-seeker who felt at home in the most exhilarating and blood pumping of theme park rides. Jason was also adventurous. He loved the outdoors, rock climbing, and going hiking. If you recall Bessie’s poem, he is one with nature and “never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty” … That is consistent with a life of success.

He loved to cook. He was shown around the kitchen by his late grand-mother – Warrie. Chicken was his favorite… and somehow, he loved making a chicken sandwich at midnight when others are in bed and probably dreaming about a chicken sandwich.

Our family has lost a guardian, a caretaker, and custodian. He is a pillar of support for us as parents, and a wall of protection for his sister. Yes, he loved and protected his sister even if it meant taking time off from work to warn her prom date in person that he better not try anything… or else.

Jason has left behind Abby back in the arms of her parents, but also leaving behind his brothers, Rafel and Devon, many uncles, aunts, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Ladies and gentlemen, say not in grief: "He is no more", but live in thankfulness that he was and that he lived a full life of success.

Sleep in peace, Jason