Jack Wiederstein

Jack,
We’ve tried repeatedly and cannot write an obituary for you. You’re too young. You had too much life
left to live. And you had so many plans. We were so excited to be on this journey with you, watching you
become a young man.
You had such a beautiful soul and it showed in your eyes. Your bright hair, your big smile, your yelled
greetings across the house, the school, the band hall, or anywhere else you happened to be. You
touched so many lives.
You were smart, dedicated, and scored well in academics. You were a star in band. That first year, when
everyone sounds…..new, we could tell that you had a natural talent. You played your music for hours
and sought out more advanced songs to challenge yourself. Band camp 2022 was the best week you’ve
ever had. You came home so happy, so filled with purpose, and gave a minute’s consideration to
attending WTAMU for college. You were looking forward to 2023’s camp and had a challenging goal – 1 st
chair in the top band. You always wanted to perform your best in whatever task you took on.
You found friends everywhere you went. And if you knew no one when you arrived, you’d have a friend
by the time you left. You made people laugh. You told terrible dad jokes as well as extremely quick and
hilarious smart remarks.
You hated injustice in the world. You stood up for what was right. You reached out to kids that you
thought needed support or someone in their corner. You carried gum everywhere and passed it out to
anyone you felt needed a dose of kindness during their day.
You were loving, brilliant, determined, and you had the strength to be you, even in the face of heartless
bullies. You did not back down. We are so proud of the young man you were becoming. You were our
heart. Our light. Our love.
We are devastated that we will never see you grow any older, achieve any more of your dreams. We are
comforting each other the best that we can. You’ve left behind your moms, your dad, your sister, your
grandparents. Aunts, uncles, and cousins. Friends. We wish that you could have felt our love. Known
how much you were needed. Reported the bullying to anyone. We would have tried to help. We would
have loved you and kept you safe for 10 minutes, and then 10 more. Now, it is we who try to survive for
10 minutes.
You were loved beyond measure. You touched the lives of everyone who knew you and even kids you
just passed in the hall. We pray that your soul is at peace. That you can see now, in the wisdom of your
soul, what you meant to each of us. Eventually, we will talk about you and tell stories, laughing at your
wit. Always we will hold your memory close and love you. We will see you again. Until that day, we will
mourn you.