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Life Story of Kade Jason Nelson
Written by his father, Jason Nelson

Kade Jason Nelson was born on July 11, 2003 in Flagstaff, Arizona. We were attending Northern Arizona University at the time. Before his birth, I remember Camilee commenting that he was constantly kicking and moving around and would never hold still. From the beginning he wanted to be out and free, and he was that way throughout his life. He wanted to be out helping others. After his birth, one of the first things the doctor said after he was born was, “this baby has some big shoulders”, and that never changed about Kade.

He was the happiest baby out of all of our children. He started smiling and laughing very early and he never stopped. He was such a friendly baby, always entertaining everyone around him. As he began to walk, he kept us busy and was constantly getting into mischief. When he was 16 months old he could climb out of his crib and back in. We would put him into his crib, which was in the same room as his older sister Madison. He would climb out, pull her hair to make her yell, then jump back into his crib before we could get into his room. And that energy never died down. Kade was very physical and from an early age took such joy and fun from any and all physical activity. He climbed everything, and could ride his bike without training wheels right after he turned three. I remember him riding his small bike for a bike-a-thon fundraiser. He ended up riding about two miles around the school. Everyone was amazed at how far he rode. He was determined to be a part of the fundraiser and loved the association with everyone.

When Kade was four we moved to Bisbee. At this early age, we began to see his talents emerge. We lived on a small street with an older couple, a widow, and an older single man. Kade was constantly out talking to all of the neighbors, helping them with their groceries, and spending time with them. These neighbors absolutely LOVED him and treated him just like a grandchild. We attended the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Bisbee which had about 75 members in the congregation, mostly elderly people. He learned to be very comfortable talking to adults and being himself around others.

Living in Bisbee, we saw a lot of the Border Patrol and Kade always wanted to become a Border Patrol Agent. One day when he was around 6 or 7 years old, while I was at work, Kade spotted a group of illegal aliens making their way through the desert behind our neighborhood. My wife called the Border Patrol, and it was all she could do to stop him from helping chase them down. He was so determined to get out there and help. She finally convinced him that he could climb the tree in the front yard to watch. He was so proud when the Border Patrol were able to pick them up.

When Kade was in 4th grade we moved to Sierra Vista. He had a lot of fun times there and through the years was involved in many different activities including football, basketball, wrestling, track, baseball, and scouting. He loved to play football. At one game we saw him playing on the line as a tackle and then the coach moved him to center. He had never played as the center before and I wasn’t sure if he knew how to hike the ball. Afterwards, his coach came up to me and expressed appreciation for Kade. He said everyone was complaining about playing different positions but Kade stepped up and would play anywhere at any time. He did this all the time with any sport he played. He was just happy to be playing. In Sierra Vista, we lived next door to a couple who were facing some difficult health problems. Kade would be outside, and would run over to help them carry in groceries, say hello to them, or help with anything they needed. They loved him.

Kade started his Freshman year at Buena High School. Buena is a large high school with just over 2000 students from many different backgrounds and cultures. I remember his older sister Madison coming home one day and saying, “Kade has only been here a few months and he knows more people than I do! Everywhere we go people are saying hi to him.” That is the kind of kid he was. Friendly and very outgoing. He could talk to just about anyone.

We moved to Thatcher about two years ago, in the middle of his Freshman year. We were nervous about changing schools and how our kids would adapt, but it didn’t take long before he was telling us how grateful he was to be here, and how much he loved it. He quickly found friends and became involved in school, playing football, tennis, student body leadership and FBLA. He decided to be the school mascot his Sophomore year, and he had so much fun doing it and making people happy. As the mascot, he would dress up for the theme nights and entertain everyone.

He turned 16 this last summer, and he was so excited for 2 things: driving his truck, and dating. Both made us very nervous as his parents. I think he went on 2 dates in the first week after his birthday, and he never stopped. He rounded up his friend group and they started going on group dates at least every other week. He was constantly trying to come up with date ideas, including scavenger hunts, barbecues, and other fun activities. Many times we would groan because of his last minute ideas. As he was getting ready for one of these dates a couple of weeks ago they decided to do a cookout with steaks. Right before he was leaving he asked about cooking a cobbler afterwards. I helped him get out the dutch oven and all the ingredients. I was a little nervous on how everything was going to turn out (as many of you know his cooking was a little sketchy) but overall he said everything went well and he was excited that it did. Looking back, I’m glad we put up with all his craziness. It gave him such joy. While he was doing all this dating he was determined to not have a girlfriend and prepare to serve a mission so he asked a different girl on every date. I was really impressed that he still had not taken the same girl out twice.

He also began taking automotive classes through the GIFT program this year and he really excelled in these classes. He got his textbook before classes started and immediately sat down and started reading it for hours. We laughed and secretly took a picture of him reading it because that is the first textbook he had ever willingly read in his life. He loved these classes and many times would come home from school and go straight to work on his truck, or one of his friend’s trucks. For Christmas all he wanted was a Multimeter, which made our job easy in getting him gifts. A few weeks ago he placed in the regional Skills USA competition in automotives and was selected to compete in state.

Kade was always full of surprises. You never knew what was going to happen next. The first day of school this year he came home and said, “I’m going to join the cross country team.” We just looked at him like he was crazy and said, “you realize you aren’t really the build of a cross country runner right?” But he just laughed and said it would be fun because of the kids in cross country, and he enjoyed every minute of it. I was impressed that even though he was not the right build he worked hard to improve his times and gave it his best effort.

He also worked very hard to apply for the Washington Youth Tour trip this year. He spent hours on his essay and he practiced for his interview. When he came home from the interview and we asked how he did, he was so excited and said he felt like it went really well. He came home from school the next day and jokingly told us he had received a phone call that he didn’t win the trip. We felt so bad for him because we knew how hard he worked. We told him we would take him out to dinner and that sometimes things just don’t work out. He led us on for a whole day like this before telling us the next morning that he actually did win the trip. I think Camilee was ready to choke him out after this surprise joke.

He was also very involved with the church youth group. He loved to be with the other boys and leaders. He looked forward to every activity. He would often go after church to take the sacrament to members’ homes, many times the elderly, and he loved to visit with them. One of the other boy’s mothers told us that her son was gone a long time after church and she questioned him about why it took so long. He told her, “I was with Kade and he always gets them talking.”

Kade had a big personality and was always full of fun. He had a great sense of humor, and enjoyed making others laugh whether it was through pranks or his sense of humor.

One of his cousins’ shared…Kade somehow connected his phone to the bluetooth in our grandparents van while Grandma was driving us around. He played some country songs, then some rap music, and then played a song about Grandma. I still don’t know if Grandma knew what was going on. We were all laughing in the backseat.

My wife’s sister shared one of her favorite funny stories of Kade..When Kade was about 8 years old he was visiting our house and was in the kitchen. My husband was giving the kids a lecture about how nothing in life is free and you have to work for everything. Then Kade piped up, “well, actually, the twisty ties in the grocery store are free!” We died laughing and our family has quoted that through the years. What a comfort that there is ONE thing we can count on to be free in life.

One of the teachers shared…on the way home from a game it ended up being Kade and one or two other cheerleaders who didn’t ride home with parents. It was super late and I was not looking forward to the quiet ride home (usually everyone falls asleep). Boy was I in for a treat, Kade entertained us the WHOLE way home, and I am serious when I say the WHOLE ride! I have never met a teenage boy who was so relatable and easy to talk to.

Now I would like to talk about him in a different way than the usual life story. I would like to talk about what Kade wasn’t.

Kade was never the top student in his class. He never won academic awards, and was rarely recognized for his work in school, even though sometimes he had to work harder than others for his grades. He was trying really hard this semester to get straight A’s, which I don’t think he had ever accomplished before.

Kade was never a top athlete in any sport. But he loved to play any sport for the joy of playing. He never cared too much if he won or lost.

Kade was never good at music. We put him in piano lessons once and his teacher told us his fingers just didn’t work right for it.

Kade was never organized or tidy. In fact he would often leave for school carrying his shoes and socks out and running late.

If you look at his life through these outward things, he was just an average ordinary kid.

But the Kade we knew was more than these things…and he was happy because he was constantly serving others as Christ would. His greatness came from his kindness and love for others which is achievable by any of us today.

He was a kind and loving brother and friend. He was constantly fixing all of his brother’s bikes, taking them for slushies, or to the swapmeet. He would give them rides on the go cart, or let them help him work on his truck.

One year we went camping with cousins and he had every little kid in camp following him around. He took all of them fishing for crawdads. They loved him.

A couple of weeks ago he came home for lunch and found his 3 year old little sister and cousin dressed up as princesses dancing to music in the kitchen. He immediately said, “I’m the handsome prince” and bowed while saying, “May I have this dance?” Then he took a minute to pick them up and dance with them in the kitchen before making his lunch.

He often was serving his mother, especially while I was at work, offering to get up and take the boys to early basketball on Saturday, drive them or pick them up from activities, or watch the kids so she could take a break. Many times after a long day, I would take my wife out for a little while in the evening only to come home and find all of the kids in bed and the house all cleaned up.

He also served many others at school and in the community. He came home from school one day this year and said he had given his new backpack away to someone who needed it. He never asked for another one, he just grabbed an old one and used it.

These are just some of the things we knew about him, but we have been so overwhelmed and grateful for all of the stories you have shared with us. As parents we often didn’t hear of the things he did, but I would like to share just a few of the many stories that have been shared with us this week…

Story 1
I didn’t know Kade personally but he has forever touched my heart. My son was in a small accident at Thatcher High School. He was very upset and shaken up over it. Kade stayed with him reassuring him that everything would be alright. Kade was there until I got there and then he went and told the school what had happened and let the owner of the other truck know what happened. I don’t think Kade knew how much that meant to my son and how much it meant to me! He was the calming friend that my son needed! I don’t think it was a coincidence that Kade just happened to be there.

Story 2
Last Valentine’s Day I heard a knock on the door. When I opened the door, there was Kade with a flower for my daughter. He asked me to give it to her and then left. I later found out that he went around our small community that night giving a flower to each girl he knew that didn’t have a “Valentine” that day. I was so impressed that he thought to do that.

Story 3
A few years ago at a ward pancake breakfast, I saw Kade, then age 12, notice that my autistic son (age 7) was sitting alone. Kade got up from his seat, gathered his plate and utensils and walked around the ramada to sit next to him. My heart melted on the spot and has loved that big hearted boy ever since.

Story 4
Kade had the biggest impact on my life. He always helped me. When I became a deacon I was extremely scared to pass the sacrament. He helped me, grabbed my hand and said, “follow me, I will help you.” He also chose to be my partner for the Tucson Temple cultural celebration when I was scared and lost because I didn’t know anyone. He helped me a ton after the celebration and we went to your house and gave him a gift basket with snacks and a gift card because he helped me so much I wanted to do something kind for him.

Story 5
Kade has always been a light to the world, he was willing to help anyone, he helped me especially, more than people know and more than probably he knew himself. He helped me when I was at the lowest point in my life, he helped me find friends, and he helped me find joy through my depression. He taught me to be yourself and not care what people think of you, he was never afraid to be himself and I truly admire him for that. My favorite memory of Kade was his last words to me last week he said “you’re not supposed to feel bad for me, you’re supposed to laugh!” This truly sums up Kade’s personality, he never wanted people to be sad. He just wanted people to have joy.

There are so many stories of the lives he has touched through his service. I would like to leave you one more that means a lot to me.

Story 6
Although Kade was younger than me, he truly is my hero. He was so Christlike to everyone he met. When he learned I was going to Ghana on my mission, he told me he heard a story of someone who had tapeworms. He said that after drinking a small amount of gasoline the guy didn’t have any more tapeworms. I remember right before coming to Ghana Kade spent at least 20 dollars on one tie. Now this was not just any necktie. This tie has a bag and tube inside so you can enjoy a drink while looking sharp. While I was in the car, in the driveway, ready to go to the airport on my mission, Kade rushed from auto’s class and told me to wait just a bit because he had a gift for me. He rushed to his house and brought this special tie, and gave it to me. He told me to put a little bit of gasoline inside in case of tapeworms.

Now I don’t know if I would take his medical advice, but I can say I want to be like Kade. No matter how hard the day was back at home, I knew all I needed to do is go and talk with Kade and life was great. I know that the countless trips to mission prep with Kade has helped me. I know right now he is a great missionary on the other side.

I don’t know why God would take such a wonderful young man from this world, but he sees the bigger picture. If there is any way that I can help please let me know.

We also don’t know why God would take such a wonderful young man from this world right now but we do know that he sees the bigger picture and we have felt his overwhelming love during this difficult time. Kade had learned everything he needed to here, and his progression hasn’t stopped. We know that Kade still has work to do and will continue learning. Kade was always trying to go out and serve and help others and we were constantly trying to keep him in our home with us. Kade has now been set free to do God’s will and work is our testimony and strength. We know that it is through Christ’s Atonement and love that we are able to all return back to our Heavenly Father. Kade was always happy. We never saw him down because he served as Jesus Christ would and as a result he lived after the manner of happiness.