Jason Co Thein brought joy and happiness to the world the minute he was born on January 28, 1977, and he continued to do that for the next 44 years of his life. Bigger than life, generous to a fault, and kind in every way you can imagine, he touched the lives of so many and left a lasting impression of unconditional love and laughter. Jason was diagnosed with hepatic cancer in July of 2021, and he dealt with the news in his typical courageous and optimistic way. Never complaining once, he made sure to reassure and comfort his loved ones during this time even though he was the one sick. He left us in December of 2021, and though we miss him tremendously, his legacy continues to live on through his family and friends.

We'd like to extend this legacy outside of this circle to others through The Jason Co Thein Presents Fund. A kid at heart, Jason believed in the power of innovation and creativity and was always thinking of starting fun projects to make life easier and more efficient for others.  Whether it was a weighted phone cord holder or a pie-shaped habit and goal tracker called "Target Practice," his wheels were always turning and he pursued each project with a child-like innocence and ingenuity. This, coupled with his love for children (and children for him), makes this memorial fund through Aaron's Presents the perfect way to honor Jason and ensure his spirit lives on and continues to inspire.

100% of this fund will go toward supporting Aaron's Presents youth and their project ideas that benefit others in their communities and beyond. Aaron's Presents will post photos of the projects funded by The Jason Co Thein Presents Fund so that you can learn more about the kids being empowered by Jason's life and using his inspiration to make a positive difference in the world. This fund has no minimum contributions or end date and will just continue to grow over time. An average project involves 3 kids ages 9-14, impacts 26 people or animals, and costs $250, so we have an opportunity to touch many people through this special fund.

Thank you for your support! We believe that Jason would be ecstatic to know that he is helping kids implement and live out their dreams and in doing so, living out his own :)!

With love,

The Thein Family & Liz Lim

------------From Aaron's Presents-------------

Leah Okimoto, Founder & Executive Director, who has known and loved Jason and his family for over 25 years:

Jason would have been such an ideal mentor for Aaron's Presents. The way he loved kids and truly believed in the goodness and potential of each child without exception, and the way he allowed them to freely and joyfully express their natural selves and innate gifts is exactly aligned with how we work with our youth participants. We know without a doubt that if he lived in MA, we would've roped him into becoming an AP Mentor! He was always so proud of every child who was lucky enough to know him and he was their biggest cheerleader. It is difficult not to feel disheartened and lost when our best human beings leave us way too early. Jason's life and childlike energy will provide even greater inspiration for us to keep doing what we do and raising up more Jasons who care about others, live to make other people smile and laugh, and love with their whole hearts. Many kids do these things naturally when they are young, but we need to make sure more of them follow Jason's example of not forgetting as they get older that these are our true purpose in life.

Aaron’s Presents is a registered 501(c)(3) youth development organization that is helping kids find purpose and meaning by having an early encounter with using their unique gifts to impact others’ lives. Kids in 8th grade and below can propose and carry out any idea as long as it has a positive impact on at least one other person, animal or the environment. It’s up to them to join, and they direct the entire process working with our Mentors. Most of our youth live in Lawrence and Lowell, 2 cities north of Boston, MA where the opportunity gap is severe. We believe that every young person has a critical role to play in helping their communities grieve, heal and achieve greater equity now and for future generations, and they need to be empowered and equipped to do so as early as possible.