Jason Christopher Kakasuleff

April 4, 1980 - February 26, 2012

Jason was born on April 4, 1980 in Indianapolis and passed on February 26, 2012 after battling the complexities of his rare, congenital heart defect. Jason's heart was upside-down on the wrong side of his chest, he only had one of the two ventricles characteristic of a normal heart, and he had open-heart surgery the day he was born to insert a shunt. He was also born with no spleen. Jason's odds of surviving his first day were small and doctors warned that if he managed to make it through the surgery that he definitely wouldn't make it to adulthood.

Despite these congenital problems, Jason lived a relatively normal life until he suffered a stroke at 2 years old that would reverse everything he had learned. He needed a feeding tube and many years of therapy to reacquire basic skills like eating, talking, and walking. Although he couldn't run, or walk long distances he was still active growing up. He loved basketball, video games, music, drawing, writing songs and poetry, and looked forward to the summertime when he would play baseball at Eagledale Little League and participate in activities with other disabled children at Camp Riley.

Jason was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at 18 years old, but his doctor said that his life would be contingent on the ability of his heart to support his bodily functions operating at a lower capacity than normal so he recommended Jason become less active to ease the strain on his heart. Although he spent more time in a wheelchair, he continued to thrive and live a happy life. He worked as an adult for the Arc of Indiana and Sycamore Services - both organizations for the disabled. Jason had a brilliant, contagious smile that inspired others to consider how fortunate we are to have our health.

Those in the family that preceded Jason in death include Chris Kakasuleff, Betty Sue McCurry, Minnie Jeffras, Ida and Forrest Jeffras, Mary Rudicil, William Stephens, Ann George and Stephen Kakasuleff.

At 31 years old, after defying the odds laid out for him by doctors since he was born, Jason finally succumbed to the health issues that had plagued him his entire life. Jason is survived by his parents, Angela Walston and Charlie Stephens; step-parents, Troy Walston and Jane Stephens; sisters, Jenny Kakasuleff, Dottie Stephens, and Mary Smith; brother, Joe Herndon; grandparents, Steve McCurry, Tim and Patsy Hood, Ben and Helen Davis, 18 aunts and uncles, 41 cousins and countless friends.