Dear family and friends,
Thank you for visiting this site to reflect on the joy Jason brought us all and to share your thoughts, photos and videos. We appreciate how you help us keep his memory alive.
We are pleased to report that the organizations we chose to carry out Jason’s legacy are actively doing just that. The Music Boosters at Reservoir High School have held instructional clinics and are hosting an appearance by The Yellow Jackets, an a cappella music group, to perform for the students and provide another clinic.
HEARD, an organization that works to ensure that the deaf have equal access to the justice system, will fund a paid fellowship in 2018, to further that mission.
Donations to these organizations in Jason’s name can still be sent to:
Music Boosters
Reservoir High School
11550 Scaggsville Rd.
Fulton, MD 20759
HEARD
P.O. Box 1160
Washington, D.C. 20013
Or click the "donate" button at http://www.behearddc.org/
Gratefully,
Rick, Laura and Andrew Mastroianni
With much love,
Rick & Laura and Andrew Mastroianni
Tributes
Leave a tributeIt's an odd thing for a heart to feel full and shattered at the same time. To breathe deeply of God's goodness and to feel like the wind has been knocked out of you. But such is the journey of grief. I love you bud. I miss you. I'm first in line for hugs! LOVE YOU! Mom
WOW!
It’s been 9 years! In most circumstances doing something (hopefully well) for 9 years would feel like an accomplishment – but today, surviving 9 years without my son, Jason, in many ways still feels like a gut punch.
I know I have only gotten this far by the grace and goodness of God. It often overwhelms me. God has sent me precious love notes to remind me He is right there with me. He has used the people in my life to carry me when needed, sit with me when walking was too much, cry with me, encourage me, listen to the things I said, and even to the things I didn’t say… They have held my anger. my tears, and my joys along the way. There has been plenty of all 3!
I believe the survival of anything is not a journey best walked alone. I am not alone I am richly blessed.
Tomorrow we will sing Homecoming (Bethel Music) in Church – it speaks to me about the “Homecoming” in heaven that is only possible because Christ died on the cross. When I hear my older son Andrew sing the lead, my soul is stirred. When I sing along, I am moved to tears. The lyrics remind me of who and what I have “lost” and the immense JOY of the Homecoming I long for.
[I see] Roses in bloom pushed up from the embers
Rivers of tears flow from good times remembered
Families are singing and dancing and laughing
The Father is welcoming
This is our homecoming
Heaven joins in with a glorious sound
And the great cloud of witnesses all gather 'round
'Cause the ones that were lost are finally found
The Father is welcoming
This is our homecoming!
I know God has more for me to do as I wait for this Homecoming. I am ready and excited about it all. But today, I will sit in my grief and remember my son.
Tomorrow, I will sing about a Homecoming that holds the sadness, the joy, and the promise of what is to come.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM-L-L7OD_A
(Homecoming)
hugged my son and said, “I love you bud!”. Seven years since I last heard him say, “I love you too mom”
On February 18, 2014 at about 4:30pm, my heart shattered. (Surely everyone must have heard the huge crrraaaaccckkk!)
In that moment, on that first day, in that first week, that first month and year I could barely hold on until my next breath.
But God has been good, and God has been faithful, and even on the darkest of days God was and is enough. And now it is 7 years since….
As I sit here in the dark and quiet of the early morning, with a fire blazing and tears rolling down my cheeks, my thoughts and feelings conflict and collide: “Is he really ok? …I feel a deep peace that passes all understanding…would he like the person I’ve become… I’m grateful for friends who leave red balloons…it doesn’t hurt like it used to… I ache to hug him…can I get through another day…I miss his constant drumming…does he know how much I love him?”…
Lately as I have been reading through the Old and New Testaments, the number 7 has stood out to me. Six days of work and rest on the seventh. Six years of working the fields and the field rests on the seventh. The leper bathed 7 times in the Jordan and he was healed. Forgive each other seventy times seven. Seven statements from the cross….
Something feels different in this 7th year. Perhaps God is up to something: a deeper healing in me, a greater peace…an even stronger dependence on the one who has sustained me through it all.
As I considered all of this, it occurred to me that I have spent 7 years thinking that as time moved on, I was somehow moving farther away from Jason. The reality is time does go on, and people do move on and there is a certain sadness in the necessity of that. But this week, I suddenly had the thought, “I am not seven years farther from him, I am actually seven years closer!” That thought is filled with hope and excitement!
I know that in the end God will make all things new, and I will see my son again. I will hug him and hear his laughter.
Today I am 7 years closer to seeing Jason again. I love you bud!
My heart...what a day to celebrate Jason. Forever Missed. Love to Laura, Rick, Andrew, Amy and others.
Jason is a fabulous musician and I loved working on the drums with him. I remember going through some of his marching band music here at the house. It's so clear how much love he has around him and how much he meant to so many.
6 years ago, on February 17, 2014 I saw you alive for the last time. You were in our dining room telling me - telling us - how much you loved the travel you were doing for your new job, and how much you had enjoyed your time with the California family. It was a great conversation; all was right in our worlds and we were smiling. Our relationship had shifted – you were an adult and had even asked our advice on a few things – I was thrilled!
I am so glad I got to hug you and tell you I loved you before you walked out the door. It’s one of my most precious and most difficult memories. But there are some things I would have said to you if I had known I’d never see you again:
Your smile lights up my heart
I love hearing you laugh
God has gifted you with an ability to relate to people, all people, and make them feel important, and special, and included
I LOVE hearing you play the drums
I love watching you sing
I wish we’d sung a song together – just the 2 of us
I wish we’d sung a song together – you, me and Andrew
I miss seeing your shoes in the entryway
Our summer vacation to the Shenandoah Valley and to Asheville North Carolina will always be among my favorite memories
April 1 will be among my favorite days because of you. I love that you were thrilled when I pranked you!
I’m glad you liked your Christmas pajamas!
Things I think about now that you’re with Jesus: (some are very hard thoughts)
I miss you more than words can say
Do you know how much I love you?
God has loved us well through our framily and friends
Were you in pain?
Did you call out for me?
I can’t think about Saving Mr. Banks (2013) and not feel your head on my shoulder as you fought to stay awake Christmas morning
Christmas 2013 and January 1, 2014 will be among my favorite mommy memories
Nickel Creek will always make me think of you – especially When You Come Back Down
The song For Good from Wicked will be indelibly etched in my heart. I will think of you and cry every time I hear it
Cornerstone…
In Christ Alone…
I wish you could see me now. I think you’d like the person I am becoming
I miss your booming laughter and your sense of humor
People are hearing the gospel because God is using the “hard” of your death to reach people
Are you proud of me?
You would love Andrew’s wife Amy (and her family). I wish they had met you
I’d give anything for one more hug – or 2 or three.
I can’t wait to see you again
I love you bud! I love you bud! I love you bud!
I was reading a blog this weekend which lead me to a different blog...you know how it goes, you just keep clicking and reading.. When I was finished reading, this idea popped into my head - a way to acknowledge February 18, 2014, honor Jason, and do something positive with that day...So I did some searching on the Compassion International website and here's what's up - 4 years later...
Rick and I have decided to sponsor a little boy from Uganda through Compassion International.
His birthday - February 18, 2014.
His name: Blessed Joy.
It seemed fitting that God would provide Blessed Joy on a difficult day
I love you and miss you J!
I am remembering Jason with you today and the music and fun he brought to so many. I thank God for him and you, his dear family. I am praying for a renewal of God’s comfort and presence with you. You are precious to me and my family. I am sure the child you sponsored this year will be also blessed! God’s grace continues to overflow.
I'll remember you always
- love Tica
- Tica Gaitor
Bahamas
We miss you so much - but the impact of your life resounds in those you love. We all can't wait til we see you again.
I hope the flat spot on the side of your head is all fixed now. ;-)
Kevin
We all miss you and there is not a church service where I don't think of you. If you would use the Lord's power to give your mom, dad and Andrew special hugs and love to lift them up, that would be great. As you would expect, they are carrying on as strong disciples in Christ but they hurt every day from missing you. But not without hope...we are Bethany strong:)
This morning, as it happened, you were in my waking thoughts!!! You must have been tapping me on the shoulder. I want to thank you for leaving that sweet video of yourself signing your desire to work with Deaf prisoners. It really touched me and I will never forget it. I know it will make you and your family happy that because of this you will be remembered in our community -- you'll see!!
Thinking of you, missing you, and sending a hug.
Love, Gina
It has been a year since we lost you. I think about you often and remember the strong presence you were in our family. I think about how losing you has affected my brothers. I think about how losing you has affected me. All I know is that we are all blessed for having you in our lives.
Jason, a few months ago I cried because I saw a beautiful article about a restaurant in Canada who employees only deaf servers, and I couldn't physically share it with you. They use menus that teach hearing people to sign their order and the servers help them to learn signs. I thought that this was such a wonderful business! We need these in the U.S.
A few months after that my family lined up their LLBean moccasins under the Christmas tree in remembrance of you and the necessity of these shoe/slipper combo in our family. We all miss you dearly.
Thank you for sharing your love and happiness with me and my family. You will always be in our hearts.
Danielle
Today is December 18, 2014, which marks ten months since you left us. It also means that it is six days until Christmas Eve, which means one thing- STEW. I so badly want to text you the countdown daily, I want to see your emojis back of stew, I want you to say how excited you are, I want you to tell the infamous Christmas Eve story, which you bring up every year… But I can’t text you and you won’t be there to bring up the story.
Jason, I’m mad at you because you went ahead of us. Why did you have to do that? There is so much stew to be eaten.
I have struggled to write this letter, because I don’t want to say goodbye. In fact, I have refused to finish this letter, until now. So I am sorry that it is long overdue, but cut me some slack, you were always late for church.
I refused to finish this letter because it symbolized that you were actually gone and meant that I had nothing left to hold onto to keep you alive. I know it sounds silly, but it’s true. Though, I have finished this letter, I do not accept your death. I do not accept your death because death has no hold over you - Christ defeated the grave and so one day we will laugh together over a bowl of Christmas Eve Stew and celebrate Jesus’s birth and victory.
I write this letter with tears streaming down my face, like the Coldplay song, and I want you to know that I love you. I miss you more than words can say. But I am not without hope and look forward to the day when Jesus returns and we will be reunited. I love you Robin, Jay, Older Brother, Mr. Taylor Swift (haha remember that time you wanted to marry her…. you were always too good for her), CareBear (as Bryden liked to call you), and Jason Nicholas Mastroianni-McGhee.
Love,
Kelsey- your little sister
P.S. I feel I must be honest with you. You will probably learn anyways if you are looking down on us and hear our conversations. There might have been a time when I was in elementary/middle school when I had a crush on you. Don’t worry I got over it quickly and only ever saw you as a brother… But I cannot deny that it happened. Ask Bryden if you don’t believe me.
I have often heard people say that God never gives us more than we can handle. I must disagree. I think we are given things that ARE too hard for us to handle alone for the simple reason that we were never meant to go through this life alone. How does one “handle” the death of a son (or anyone) alone?
On February 18, as I sat in my principal’s office waiting for the detectives who needed to talk to me, I cried out, “Lord, catch my heart”. I made a couple of phone calls and sent a text message, barely able to get out the words, “SOS, please pray! Detectives from Baltimore are on their way to see me. This can’t be good!” And while I was the only one sitting in that office for quite some time, I was never alone. Friends were lifting up prayers even as Rick and dear friends were driving to get to that office… driving to get to me.
I heard the news that you, my dear Jason, had died before anyone could get to my school. Yet I still wasn't alone. In that instant, as my heart shattered, God was already providing this friend to hold this piece over here and that friend to hold that little piece. Each piece gently held and lovingly tended to by family and friends as God held and holds us all because quite honestly this is just too much to hold and “handle” alone.
I still have days when I am very angry, very sad and very shattered. (Contrary to science, it really is possible to walk around with your heart not working and when the pain is so bad the air is literally sucked out of you.) Yet God in His love and mercy hasn't left me to handle this alone. I love you bud!
Your birthday was just this past weekend, and I have to say, Saturday was one of the most beautiful days of weather that we've had so far this year. The sun was out and it warmed us under the blue skies as we gathered throughout the day at your parent's house to be together and remember you. It would only have been more perfect with you there to blow out candles or release balloons. But then again, I know you were there. Right as we released our balloons, a gust of wind took them straight into the trees. We all had a laugh and a few small tears as we watched the balloons drift and get stuck in the trees. When each one finally wiggled it's way out one at a time and went on to fly as high as they could toward the Heavens, we cheered. Those were cheers in your honor, cheers for a wonderful laughter and love filled life. Cheers that we know where you are, and Who you are with. We'll be here, missing and remembering you...until we meet again.
When: Saturday, April 12, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Where: The Mastroianni Home, 9407 Mayflower Ct., Laurel, MD 20723
Please join us as we gather Jason Mastroianni’s family and friends to remember him on his 25th birthday.
We will provide snacks, soft drinks, beer and wine. Feel free to bring snacks or drinks to share if you wish.
Drop in when you can and enjoy this time to remember and celebrate Jason's life, love and laughter.
All who knew and loved Jason are welcome to stop by, so you're welcome to pass this invitation along.
We look forward to meeting some of you for the first time.
RSVP: rmastroianni@comcast.net or
or (301) 906-0015 by Thurs. Apr. 10th if possible.
"Hi. My name is Jake Sherry. I first met Jason in 2005 in our sophomore year of High School. One of my very first memories of befriending Jason happened one of the first nights he came over to my house. Jason had recently acquired a new MacBook and as we all know, Jason loved having the latest and greatest technology especially when it meant giving all his money to Steve Jobs. Now, the first thing anyone does when they first use a Mac is take a bunch of crazy pictures in the photo booth program using all the funky filters. Matt Donnelly, Jason, and I stayed up all night taking hundreds of photos until we couldn’t breathe anymore. We were laughing so hard after capturing every single picture that I remember having to leave the room multiple times just to keep from passing out. It seems really juvenile and cheesy but I have never laughed that hard in my entire life. There have been multiple times when Jason made me laugh harder than anyone has ever been able to make me laugh. That’s the Jason I will always remember. He had such wit and grace with his humor to get anyone in the room to laugh. He would always find the ‘funny’ in any situation. Through various nights like these, Jason grew to be one of my absolute best friends in life.
Jason and I had such a close relationship that we didn’t hesitate to tell each other how much we meant to one another. This was a trait that I believe Jason passed on to me early on; the ability to step back from situations and cherish the beauty in them. We constantly had conversations about the things we valued in life. We regularly reminisced on our high school days and the incredible peers who surrounded us. We would talk about how great it was that 5 years after high school graduation we still kept in touch with a great group of friends who genuinely love and care for each other. We would also discuss how fortunate we were to have such a phenomenal music department, with directors and teachers who we quickly began calling our ‘friends.’ We had such a unique and positive high school experience and he never wanted to take that for granted. These traits he instilled in me cause me to be thankful everyday. I am extremely fortunate and grateful to have had someone like him in my life. He was someone I could always turn to for absolutely anything. I know I speak for everyone when I say that he will be beyond missed. But I know when I need to turn to him he will always be listening with a big smile on his face."
Leave a Tribute
It's an odd thing for a heart to feel full and shattered at the same time. To breathe deeply of God's goodness and to feel like the wind has been knocked out of you. But such is the journey of grief. I love you bud. I miss you. I'm first in line for hugs! LOVE YOU! Mom
Eternity
Rick and I had plans tonight for how we were going to mark the occasion – going to a concert. I think Jason would have liked that. Unfortunately, we had to change those plans.
I had plans 8 years ago too – it was a Tuesday. I was getting my master’s in early childhood education and had a “date” with the couch and a textbook. By the end of the workday, those plans changed. I did end up on the couch, but there was no textbook. Instead, I was curled up with Rick, devastated and numb from the shock of it all.
Days later I was back the couch curled up in a ball and “hiding” under a blanket. I kept thinking “If I just stop breathing all of this will go away”. The pain was immense.
It feels like an eternity since I’ve seen Jason. 8 years is a long time for a mom to be away from her child. In 2014 I couldn’t imagine getting through a day, let alone 8 years. But I didn’t walk this road alone. I couldn’t do it alone. If you are reading this, God likely used you to pray for me, to listen, encourage, to walk alongside, sit, cry, and even laugh with me, so I could keep going. I don’t take it for granted.
It feels like an eternity since I’ve seen Jason, and yet for God it’s been the blink of an eye. I smiled yesterday when I considered that the number 8 is actually the symbol for eternity! It seems appropriate. I sense God and Jason winking at me. I know I’ll actually have eternity with Jason in heaven. That hope is enough to get me through the next 8 years. My plan when I get there will be to hug Jason tight, tell him I’ve missed him, and that I love him.
That plan is NOT likely to change.
Love you bud!!
April 12, 2021 - We grieve
This morning, after a rough night of sleep, I slipped out of bed with 1Thessalonians 4:13-14: “we grieve, but not as those without hope” whispering over and over in my head. That verse has been indelibly etched on my heart since Jason died. “Not without hope!”
I’ve been comforted and sustained by hope these past 7 years. As a Christian, while I do hope for many things, I place my ultimate hope in Jesus Christ. And I know that just like Jason’s birth wasn’t actually the beginning of his life, his death is not the end either. I find great hope and comfort in knowing I will see him again! I’m planning on being first in line!
For some reason, the ache of missing Jason hit harder than I expected. And this morning, as I thought about this verse, what stood out to me were the first 2 words, “We grieve”.
I realized in a deeper way that my God is not thrown my tears, or even my anger over Jason’s death. In fact, He expects it!
So, the tears have flowed on this grey and gloomy day, and my heart is comforted by the words WE GRIEVE!