JaseTrain's Fundraising Page

Thank you so much for considering a donation in Jase's honor to Dana-Farber's solid tumor program,  which is led by Dr. Alli who Jase adored.

Jase Russell passed away peacefully in his home on February 29th and in the loving arms of his parents, Danielle and Joshua Russell.  Jase was 7.

Jase loved life.  And he loved trains.  Thomas and Friends, sure, but mostly real trains.  Steam engines and diesels.  Locomotives and trams.  Freight trains and passenger trains and high-speed trains and cogs.  He loved them all.   And you can be certain that they loved him right back.  Have you ever noticed the grit of a train fighting an incline?  Did you know trains smile when gravity works in their favor?  Did you know a distant WhooWhoo is really a train saying “I love you!”?  Jase knew all this about trains, and he exemplified the same characteristics. 

Jase was an old soul - loving, kind, empathetic, brave, resilient, and silly.  He was also a relentless know-it-all (who was usually right).  Above all, he was happy.  So, so happy.   And many people, young and old, were pulled in by the gravitational force of his massive heart, his smile, his energetic spirit, kindness, and love.

Jase loved having fun – making wooden and electric train tracks throughout the house, going to Maine, NH (to see the trains and visit Storyland and Santa’s village) and NYC.  He loved iced coffee, Emma’s pizza (crust first) , mall pretzels, bacon, breakfast at Good Days, treats from White’s Bakery, shopping at Target, the Lego Store and FAO Schwartz.   He loved being outside – going to the playground, swimming, fishing and buzzing around on his snowmobile and quad.  Jase loved his pets – Moosie, Chicken and Nugget, Sunny, and Clifford the Littlest Blue Fish.  He loved his teachers and spending time with friends in and out of school.  He loved seeing his doctors and nurses and caring for his Jimmy Fund buddies.  But mostly, Jase loved being with his family, getting nice baby from his mamma, snuggling with his daddy and playing with his cousins.

Jase disliked having sticky hands, vegetables and traffic.

For more than half his life, Jase captained a truly incredible team that together fought neuroblastoma, a rare form of pediatric cancer.  Pediatric cancer- you’d be hard pressed to find an uglier combination of words, but there were many on Jase’s team who courageously and deliberately chose to join this fight as their life-long occupation.  This includes his doctors, nurses, childlife specialists and other healthcare professionals (especially Dr. Alli, Casey, Nurse Jen, Nurse Amy and too many others to list) all of whom cared for Jase as their own.  The team also included other cancer families in front of or behind Jase in battle, many organizations supporting pediatric cancer families, and the #JaseTrain, an amazing community of supporters who were inspired by and adored their proud engineer.  Rounding out the team, and in two pivotal positions was Jase’s right thumb and a charming stuffed animal Button, which were used in a combination that comforted Jase in the sweetest way and when the rest of the team was occupied performing their miracles.  Jase and his mom and dad are forever-thankful for this amazing team.  Especially those at Boston Children’s Hospital, The Jimmy Fund Clinic, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and the angelic nurses of the 6th floor.

Jase’s memory will live on forever through those who could never stop loving him nor love him any more than they still do, especially Madre and Gumpa Jeff and Suki Russell; Nanna and Baka Don and Sharon Sullivan; Auntie Molly Russell; Auntie Becky and Uncle Rocky Regan; Auntie TinTin and Uncle Diarrhea; Auntie JJ; Auntie Kerri of Heaven; Auntie Heather and Uncle Kevin Ryan; Auntie Yellie and Uncle Matt Gill; Auntie Shannon; Jase’s girlfriend Alanna Vieira and all of their wonderful friends; and cousins Russie, Graham, Mackie, Hudson, Zavey, Osias, Evie, Row and Sauce.  The love, care, and prayers Jase received from this group could be piled high as Heaven. 

“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off.  You sit still and trust the engineer” -Corrie Ten Boom