Thinking about you Jarrett.  Rest in peace.

Thinking about you and your family today Jarrett, and especially your mom, dad and Tayler.  Rest in peace Jarrett. You are forever loved.

A really difficult day for your family and friends.  You are dearly loved Jarrett and will never be forgotten.  Rest in peace.  

The most persisting memory I have of Jarrett is of riding on his shoulders. It’s a short memory, just me pleading for him to carry me again - so it must have been something we had done together before - and him putting me on his shoulders and walking around the house. Jarrett was always so tall, and I remember having to duck significantly to go through the doorway into another room. There was no one else around, just Jarrett and me. 

Being carried like that is such a perfect game for a child, and my memory is still tinged with a sense of the security and excitement that I felt at that time. It's how I have always remember him. I love you big brother. I’ve always loved you and I’ve always missed you. You carried me on your shoulders back then, but I’ll carry you in my heart forever. 

Jarrett,
I don't even know where to begin.  The first memory that I have of you was the first time I met you.  I remember waking up to an unfamiliar sound and upon further investigation I found you in a playpen banging your toys around.  You were in my life from that day forward.  I remember our camping trips to Priest Lake, the coast, and in Canada.  One time after exiting a lake in Canada I saw something foreign hanging under your chin.  It ended up being a leach.  Being the ever supportive brother, I just remember laughing, because that's what siblings do. :)

Although we drifted apart during our adult years, you were often in my thoughts wondering how you were, where you were, what you were doing.   Life threw you several curveballs but you endured and continued on.  That's a testament to your strength, and dare I say, stubbornness?  

You will be missed brother.  I know you are in a better place.  Rest in peace

Love,
Chris

Jarrett, I’m so grateful for every gift and memory of joy you’ve given me, you gave me my first real purpose in my life and my first experiences of heart wrenching tenderness, the instant I first saw you my heart became yours. You taught me that a mother’s love for her children truly is absolute, without reservation or expectation. I have so many wonderful memories that I hold so dearly in my heart, I will always cherish these, I only wish there could be more of them. Whenever I’ve had a need to feel closer to you, I play my memory movie of your life. I see all your childhood firsts as you were growing up, from your baby smiles, laughs, and your giggles which always made me join in. Your first words, and first sentence “Hi pie eat O’s?” Hi sweetie pie, let’s eat Cheerio’s? and all the others all the way through your school years. This is one movie I choose to watch often; it never feels like a rerun, it always brings me the same joy I felt originally. You always approached life filled with such eagerness, sheer joy, wonder and curiosity, you were always rushing towards new experiences with fierce determination often citing “for my new friend,” “my invention” and “my experiment” as the driving force behind whatever you were working on learning or accomplishing at the time. You were a wonderful traveler whether a short or lengthy trip, we always enjoyed it more because you were with us. Your love of celebrations and get togethers of any kind was so evident in your excited anticipation and always added to our pleasure. You were always the first one awake with huge stars in your eyes Christmas morning anxious for everyone to be up to enjoy the day with you. You were always the first to our door to welcome family and friends in, or the first to enter and join in the fun anywhere else. Your wonderful public speaking skills which came to you so naturally always left me in awe, whenever there was an opportunity to take to the stage you were right there first in line, whether it was acting as a junior host, tour guide, spokesperson, or giving a school or Cub Scout presentation. I remember the day Kelsey was born, after you had your first turn at holding her you immediately asked to make the family notification phone calls, so you could share the joy we were feeling. Your level of confidence in taking a lead role often transferred to others as support through any apprehension they may have felt in a new or uncomfortable situation, I always loved watching your genuine interest in others make them feel welcome, comfortable, and important to you. As an older child you shared that you wanted to be a Translator, I first thought this meant you wanted to be multilingual, but that wasn’t it, you wanted to help people understand each other better. We often saw you acting as intermediary with your friends when communication was not going as well as it could, using your incredible insight to encourage a better understanding of each other. I thought your life would continue as charmed as your childhood was but that was not to be. These last many years after your original injuries brought you so many challenges and losses, so many in fact that we were often concerned that despair and grief would win, especially when your rekindled love of bike riding which gave you such a feeling of freedom was lost to you because of neurological and physical injuries to your legs. You always found the strength and courage to persevere, allowing hope to be your strongest ally. It was these strengths that your doctor talked to us about, he saw you as his biggest source of concern, and inspiration both. Your life was especially difficult then, yet your compassion led you to volunteering for an Overdose Response program. You felt so privileged and proud to be in position of providing lifesaving treatment, we were very aware of how difficult this must have been for you and when we would express how proud of you, we were, you always gave credit back to those who had shown you kindness and compassion. Over the years we often saw your compassion and concern for others which always warmed our hearts. During your most previous hospital stay you shared one of your roommate’s stories with us, he had almost beat his serious medical issues but was very weak and was refusing nutrition. You were sure that he was frightened that he was never going home again and was giving up. You told him that after talking with his wife and watching her with him you knew he must have always been a very remarkable man based on how deeply loved he was, and this love was why he needed to accept food to build his strength if he wanted any chance of going home. You told him you believed any opportunity to share and receive love was always worth fighting for, but to do that he would need to use that love to get past his fear and to help him find the hope and strength needed to keep fighting. We’ve always known that it was difficult for you to reach out for help, you felt that you should be able to manage alone through the many crises you found yourself in. You did come to understand that we always wanted to help and hoped you wouldn’t have to feel alone in your efforts and were always looking for the magic solution to ensure your health safety and happiness. I find comfort in revisiting our conversations and your notes over the years when you would express how much you appreciated our love and support, I reread your very last message to us often because you ended it this way. “I must say some days even when we haven’t talked the only thing that has gotten me through is knowing you two are always and have always been there for me” One of my favorite memories from when we were at the White Rock Condo is your response to a friend when she asked what you were doing, your answer was  “Enjoying watching my parents enjoy spending time with me” It is very important to us to know you felt how much we loved you and special those times we were together were to us. I can’t help but smile which was of course your goal, whenever I think of your last cards to me, where you shared so many messages of love with your playful humor that they spilled out onto the envelopes, the last of these was waiting for me when we returned from our first visit with you in the hospital, I had it with me for every visit after believing at first, then holding on to hope that I’d be able to open it with you so you could see exactly how much these mean to me. I shared with you the words of comfort my grandmother gave to me when my grandfather passed away years ago, and how they had helped me then and since, just as they are now. Because of her I know my tears are for myself and those of us that have loved you and who will mourn the places in our hearts and lives you’ve held, you however no longer need our tears, you are now loved perfectly and forever. Last Mother’s Day you wrote: “Even with all the distance between us I know I can just close my eyes anytime to get my hugs” I will be doing this same thing every day of my life.
	You are with me always, and forever, Mom

Joan and Steve, you have my deepest sympathies on the passing of your beloved son, Jarrett   My prayers are with you.

Steve and Joan I was so sad to hear your son Jarrett passed away.  I know your Canadian and American family will support you through this very difficult time. You are in my prayers. 

In deepest sympathy 

Jody Rattray

Jarrett had a kind and gentle soul. I remember the day Jarrett moved back to Canada. Our first stop that day was the local White Spot.  There was a lot of catching up to do, but what I will always remember is Jarrett recalling how Grandma Clara use to take him to White Spot when he was little. His gentle nature was so apparent when he was sharing those sweet memories.  Despite all of the challenges Jarrett encountered, his empathy and compassion for others  was steadfast. You are forever loved Jarrett, by both your American and Canadian families.  

OBITUARY

Donald Jarrett Burrell

November 23, 1980 – October 28, 2021

Henderson's Langley Funeral Home

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