John Stone

John Meade Stone, beloved fourteen year-old son of Meade Garforth Stone III and Mary Elizabeth Warren Stone, passed peacefully in their arms on Tuesday, October 24, 2023 at home in Atlanta, GA. He was born on January 21, 2009 in Norfolk, Virginia and came home to Virginia Beach, VA after three months in the ICU. Despite being wheelchair-bound and non-verbal due to a rare genetic condition, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy, John lived a very full life and brought joy to all who knew him through his magnetic smile and contagious laughter. Not expected to live a year or ever smile, John beat all the odds and displayed inspiring courage, resilience, patience, and unconditional love. People may look upon the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). And what a big heart John had!

John attended Jacob’s Ladder School where he was showered with love and excellent, intentional care for ten years. John also took his family on many adventures. From coast to coast, they made their countless medical trips fun and memorable; some highlights include meals at the Top of the Hub in Boston, strolls in Central Park in New York City, visiting Crater Lake in Oregon, seeing the St. Louis Arch, and listening to live blues at B.B. King’s in Memphis. Additionally, John introduced his family to the most amazing, loving, and selfless people (doctors, therapists, aides, teachers, and other special needs families). These individuals have forever enriched the lives of his parents and brothers, and these friendships never would have begun if it were not for the miracle of John’s life. John had the honor of participating in several weddings of these very people. To know John was to love him and get wrapped into the Stone family. John loved his precious brothers, his devoted dogs Buddy and Libby, playing adaptive baseball at NYO, riding four-wheelers and catching red fish with his parents on Cumberland Island, attending Hope Heals Camp, and shaking his famous bells to the Frozen soundtrack and other music he loved.

While John will be missed every single day, those who loved him are grateful he is no longer suffering. He finished his race so well and is now with his Lord, reunited with his identical twin, Warren, and healed and whole. The Lord is indeed making all things new (Revelation 21:5).

The family especially wishes to thank John’s phenomenal aide of three years, Chelsey Murphree; Sarah Cannon and her fabulous team at Jacob’s Ladder Buckhead campus; founder and director of Jacob’s Ladder, Amy O’Dell; long time physical therapist Katie Roberson; and John’s other gifted therapists, aides, and doctors. John’s parents and brothers are also incredibly grateful for their family, friends, and church community who continue to support them.

In addition to John’s parents, Mary Elizabeth and Meade Stone, he is survived by his three younger brothers, Daniel, Andrew, and Michael Stone; maternal grandparents, Lynne and Bill Warren; paternal grandparents, Martha and Meade Stone of Virginia Beach, VA; aunts and uncles, William Warren (Monica), Cole Warren (Morgan); cousins Liam, Gracie, Preston, Coleman and Amelia Warren; and many other relatives and friends who loved John very much. He was preceded in death by his great-great grandmother, Catherine Warren; his great grandparents, Sara and John Adkerson and Mary and Billy Warren; and his twin brother, William Warren Stone.

A Memorial Service will be held on December 2, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Trinity Anglican Church, 2270 Defoor Hills Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made online to Jacob’s Ladder School (designated to the Buckhead campus) www.jacobsladdercenter.com,

Hope Heals Camp https://hopeheals.com/camp, or

Good Samaritan Health Center https://goodsamatlanta.org.