Jake Brice, a senior at MHS, passed away on August 22, leaving those who knew him in shock and full of sorrow. Jake suffered from cardiomyopathy, which required him to receive a heart transplant in 2006. As a result, he developed PTLD, a form of cancer.

Jake was a truly special person, and I was not the only person to see that. Teachers, friends, and family members were eager to share fond memories and stories of Jake at his memorial service on Thursday, August 29. Jake was a happy person, and his happiness was infectious. No matter where he was, he could make everyone smile.

“With everything he went through he never complained or felt sorry for himself. He always had a positive outlook on things,” said Mike Livoti, one of Jake’s dearest friends.

Jake was everyone’s friend. Regardless of who you were, where you came from or what you looked like, Jake would talk to you, listen to you and laugh with you.

“Jake was the most non-judgmental person I knew. It didn’t matter who you were…he treated you as a friend…He was a truly unique person and I am honored to have been one of his best friends.” said Eric Hoffman.

Jake was the kind of person who enjoyed getting to know people. He always wanted to help his friends get through hard times in any way he could. This kindhearted spirit is seen in Jake’s family members, as they have been helping his friends to get through their grief, even while trying to cope with their own.

“Jake was the true definition of a fighter and an amazing person,” said Brian Mulcahy, Jake’s sixth grade teacher and close friend. “Now it is simple; the world lost a true hero.”

Although Jake is no longer with us, his friends and family hope to keep his memory alive. Fundraising for the Jake Brice Memorial Scholarship has begun. Already partially funded, its goal is to honor deserving graduates with a symbolic award in preservation of Jake’s memory. Brian Mulcahy and the Brice family hope that the award will be available by the end of the 2013-2014 school year.

To me, Jake’s attitude was inspiring . He was a person who had suffered all his life and was never self-absorbed in his struggle. He even found the time to be my friend through all of it, the kind of person with whom you could talk to about anything. He could always make me laugh, and I could always count on him to cheer me up or lighten the mood. Jake had the kind of presence that I know will never be replicated. He was irreplaceable—someone whom I’ll never be able to forget.

Selecting from the millions of things they could say about Jake, members of his family were able to come up with a single phrase that they felt could describe Jake’s impact on them: “In seventeen years, he taught us more than we could have ever taught him.”

On the day of Jake’s service, his family chose to celebrate Jake’s life. That’s what I wish to do as well. Jake was an inspiration to all who heard his story. He never gave up despite the numerous times when he could have. He experienced so much in so little time and still was able to smile. That’s really what was special about Jake. What he was, he still is: a hero, a smiling face preserved in hundreds of pictures, an inspiration, a fighter and—above all—my friend.

For more student reflections, click here.