Lt. Jason S. Manse

Lt. Jason S. Manse

Heroes come in many different shapes and sizes, races, and even cultures. One thing I know for certain, everyone has a hero. We all believe in someone who has made a difference in just one life or many. Our heroes are put here to serve a higher purpose. They are unique and selfless, and live for the betterment of others. It was not until the death of my hero that I realized what a great impact he had had on my life and the lives of the people with whom he had come into contact with day in and day out. My hero is Lt. Jason S. Manse.

The news of Jason's death not only hit me hard, but many of the people who had been touched by Jason's kindness and love. Jason was so full of life and anyone who knew him could feel this radiating off of him. He had so much to look forward to. He and his wife Tammy had just received news that they were going to be parents, Jason's term in the Navy was almost up, and he was thinking about going to dental school when he got out. Jason was a flight instructor in the Navy. They were just going on a routine training mission, nothing major. Unfortunately, they did not check in when they were supposed to. Something had gone terribly wrong.

The plane had crashed somewhere over Georgia. I remember where I was when my mother called to deliver the news that Jason was missing. The world seemed to stop around me. How could this be true? The not knowing was the worst part of the entire experience. A week or two later we knew most of the truth. Pilot error they said. The pilot had skimmed the trees and they were going so fast that when they hit the ground there were very few things that could be identified. Jason and the three others are buried at the Naval Base in Pensacola as well as at Arlington National Cemetery. I was surprised by the many people who showed up to not only the service in Pensacola, but the one back here in Ohio. Many people came to say their goodbyes and to tell a story about Jason. He had so many great qualities and everyone had a story to tell about how he had helped them in some way. It was an experience that I am not likely to forget.

I still to this day cannot believe that he is gone. He was my inspiration, that one person that I truly looked up to. Jason continues to impact to my life to this very day. I try so hard to be a better person because you don't know when your time on this earth will be done. I want to do great things like my cousin and I want him to be proud of what I've accomplished. I am a better person for having known Jason. I still have many things to learn.