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I am speechless at the strength of this man and his family. This is from my town's paper. It just came out this morning. I wanted to share with you the strength of this family.
Kingsburg husband and father succumbs to cancer at age 33
By Amy D. Fienen
amyfienen@yahoo.com
Just a month before the inevitable, Jason Hurtado visited his MySpace Web site.
He had a message for his visitors.
"Please let me remind you to not fret the small stuff," said the husband and father who had battled cancer for nearly six years. "Somehow as the day goes by, the smile goes on -- that is the way it should be."
On Sunday morning, at the age of 33, Jason Hurtado finally lost the fight.
Those closest to him say they were constantly amazed by the attitude that he maintained even on his darkest days.
"He was still the same," said Karen, his wife of eight years. "He was still fighting and optimistic."
In October of 2002, Jason was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, a form of cancer that, over the years, took over his entire body.
In August of 2006, Jason shared his story with The Recorder to help promote a car wash being held by his friends and family to raise funds for his mounting medical bills. Jason sat on his living room couch talking optimistically about the future, never once complaining about the hardships he was facing.
He said that he took the cancer on "almost like a best friend." He said that the way it changed his outlook on life had been such a blessing that he was almost glad he had it.
"A lot of good comes out of it," Jason said. "More than you ever know."
Jason was a living testimony of the words inscribed on a charm given to him by his aunt and uncle: "What cancer cannot do ... It cannot invade the soul, suppress memories, kill friendship, destroy peace, conquer the spirit, shatter hope, cripple love, corrode faith, steal eternal life, or silence courage."
Jason was born in Kingsburg on Aug. 13, 1974 to Gerard Hurtado and Theresa Smith. He graduated from Kingsburg High School in 1992. He and Karen have two children, 10-year-old Riley, and 8-year-old Jason, named after his dad. He worked for Lucent Technologies until he was no longer able to in August of last year.
Friends and family remember Jason as being optimistic, cheerful and courageous, with a goofy sense of humor.
It was during a routine visit to the doctor on March 7 that Jason was told the cancer treatments were no longer working. The doctor told Karen that he probably had two weeks to live, but in reality, he had even less than that. Karen said that her husband wasn't yet ready to say good-bye to this world, but that when the time came, he went very peacefully.
"I don't think he thought he was going to die," she said. "He didn't talk about it much."
Jason was surrounded by family and friends during his last days. Last Wednesday, he and Karen sat on their front porch and watched while Jason's best friend and cousin, Matt Burnham, taught little Jason how to pitch. Friday was the last day he was able to leave the house, but he sat outside with Matt and tapped his foot while Matt strummed his guitar.
On Saturday, barely able to walk on his own, with Karen holding onto him, they danced together from their bedroom to his hospital bed in the living room one last time.
Just after 9 a.m. on Sunday, Jason looked at his wife and squeezed her hand before drawing his last breath. Karen said that the lights on their salt water fish tank clicked on at that moment. The fish tank had recently been Jason's special project, and it had been important to him to finish it while he still had time.
"I think it was the last thing he felt like he could still do," Karen said. "I'll never get rid of that tank."
Jason also leaves a legacy with the stained glass crosses and angels that he created. At the request of his radiation doctor, he made 10 stained glass angels for breast cancer patients who were receiving treatment at the hospital.
As Karen and her children work through their grief, they are faced with a new challenge. Jason was still receiving half of his salary from his employer, and the other half was covered through disability. That has now stopped, as has their health insurance. Karen quit nursing school to stay home and care for Jason, but plans to return in the fall. She fears that they will have to move out of their family home since she doesn't know how she will financially support her children while going to school.
Family members have started a benefit fund for the Hurtados. Donations can be made in care of the Jason Hurtado fund to the Kingsburg Bank of America, located at 1490 Draper St.
Karen's cousin, Summer Vasquez, said that Karen never wavered in her support of Jason.
"Karen's strength through it all has been amazing," she said. "Taking care of him for almost six years is just unreal."
On Feb. 14, Jason posted the following Bible verse from the first chapter of James on his MySpace page: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."
A memorial service for Jason will be held this Friday, March 21, at 11 a.m. at Kingsburg Community Church, followed by a graveside service at Kingsburg Cemetery.
Kingsburg husband and father succumbs to cancer at age 33
By Amy D. Fienen
amyfienen@yahoo.com
Just a month before the inevitable, Jason Hurtado visited his MySpace Web site.
He had a message for his visitors.
"Please let me remind you to not fret the small stuff," said the husband and father who had battled cancer for nearly six years. "Somehow as the day goes by, the smile goes on -- that is the way it should be."
On Sunday morning, at the age of 33, Jason Hurtado finally lost the fight.
Those closest to him say they were constantly amazed by the attitude that he maintained even on his darkest days.
"He was still the same," said Karen, his wife of eight years. "He was still fighting and optimistic."
In October of 2002, Jason was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, a form of cancer that, over the years, took over his entire body.
In August of 2006, Jason shared his story with The Recorder to help promote a car wash being held by his friends and family to raise funds for his mounting medical bills. Jason sat on his living room couch talking optimistically about the future, never once complaining about the hardships he was facing.
He said that he took the cancer on "almost like a best friend." He said that the way it changed his outlook on life had been such a blessing that he was almost glad he had it.
"A lot of good comes out of it," Jason said. "More than you ever know."
Jason was a living testimony of the words inscribed on a charm given to him by his aunt and uncle: "What cancer cannot do ... It cannot invade the soul, suppress memories, kill friendship, destroy peace, conquer the spirit, shatter hope, cripple love, corrode faith, steal eternal life, or silence courage."
Jason was born in Kingsburg on Aug. 13, 1974 to Gerard Hurtado and Theresa Smith. He graduated from Kingsburg High School in 1992. He and Karen have two children, 10-year-old Riley, and 8-year-old Jason, named after his dad. He worked for Lucent Technologies until he was no longer able to in August of last year.
Friends and family remember Jason as being optimistic, cheerful and courageous, with a goofy sense of humor.
It was during a routine visit to the doctor on March 7 that Jason was told the cancer treatments were no longer working. The doctor told Karen that he probably had two weeks to live, but in reality, he had even less than that. Karen said that her husband wasn't yet ready to say good-bye to this world, but that when the time came, he went very peacefully.
"I don't think he thought he was going to die," she said. "He didn't talk about it much."
Jason was surrounded by family and friends during his last days. Last Wednesday, he and Karen sat on their front porch and watched while Jason's best friend and cousin, Matt Burnham, taught little Jason how to pitch. Friday was the last day he was able to leave the house, but he sat outside with Matt and tapped his foot while Matt strummed his guitar.
On Saturday, barely able to walk on his own, with Karen holding onto him, they danced together from their bedroom to his hospital bed in the living room one last time.
Just after 9 a.m. on Sunday, Jason looked at his wife and squeezed her hand before drawing his last breath. Karen said that the lights on their salt water fish tank clicked on at that moment. The fish tank had recently been Jason's special project, and it had been important to him to finish it while he still had time.
"I think it was the last thing he felt like he could still do," Karen said. "I'll never get rid of that tank."
Jason also leaves a legacy with the stained glass crosses and angels that he created. At the request of his radiation doctor, he made 10 stained glass angels for breast cancer patients who were receiving treatment at the hospital.
As Karen and her children work through their grief, they are faced with a new challenge. Jason was still receiving half of his salary from his employer, and the other half was covered through disability. That has now stopped, as has their health insurance. Karen quit nursing school to stay home and care for Jason, but plans to return in the fall. She fears that they will have to move out of their family home since she doesn't know how she will financially support her children while going to school.
Family members have started a benefit fund for the Hurtados. Donations can be made in care of the Jason Hurtado fund to the Kingsburg Bank of America, located at 1490 Draper St.
Karen's cousin, Summer Vasquez, said that Karen never wavered in her support of Jason.
"Karen's strength through it all has been amazing," she said. "Taking care of him for almost six years is just unreal."
On Feb. 14, Jason posted the following Bible verse from the first chapter of James on his MySpace page: "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."
A memorial service for Jason will be held this Friday, March 21, at 11 a.m. at Kingsburg Community Church, followed by a graveside service at Kingsburg Cemetery.
cancer is such a harsh illness..but it seems that those who have it...get their strenght from some unknown place that we just dont know...
even goose.. who is now done his cemo..but is fighting an infection...did three rounds of cemo..for those of you who dont know he is a longstanding member of this board...and has lukemia..sigh..
his strength absoutly amazes me at times...what he has gone through..what he is facing in the future...
when you have watched someone battle cancer wether they have lost the fight or won the fight...sigh... you gain a whole new perspective on life as a whole... and yes..it makes most things seem trival at times..that used to seem like such huge issues..you look back and wonder to yourself why they once seemed to be such an issue...sigh
i hope this woman and her sons do okay..sigh..and i hope she finds the strength to carry on....i know it took almost 5 years for us to pull my father out of his depression after we lost my mom..sigh...
thx sheri for the post...
luv
heather
hugs
It really shows that when we have love and support in out lives, we can really LIVE. No matter our circumstances. No matter how long our time on this Earth is.