I won't be doing anything today for 365 Firsts other than remembering a friend who has tragically passed away. I've known his family for most of my life and became much closer with Jake in high school through sports and classes. The number one thing about Jake to me is that he always made me laugh. He was so unique in his humor, and I can't name too many more people that were more complimentary to me than he was. He would always just say I was awesome for absolutely no reason. I never understood it, but I can look back and appreciate every time he said it to me now. He was a great teammate. He played fiercely and was always the first to jump at my side anytime I needed someone or anytime I would freak out on our football team my senior year, "ya'll need to shut up and listen to Coxy!" He had my back and I'll never forget him for that. Then he had all of our backs as a decorated U.S. Marine. He fought for our country, improved himself in every way and others around him and he made us all proud. I'm so glad that I got to spend the entire night one night this summer during the local fair with him and just a few other friends, diving in pools at 4am until the sun rose. It was a total blast and Jake made it that way. His death is a tragedy. We're all here for his family who is such a big part of the area and who's brother was also a teammate and friend and who's father was my baseball coach for years and years and who was always so encouraging of me and saw potential in me I never knew I had. The whole family is special. The community lost a brother, a father, a son and a friend and much, much more. A unique soul is rare to find and that's who he was. It was rare that he didn't have a smile or smirk on his face and that's something we should all strive to have because it makes for a pretty great person. R.I.P, Jacob.
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