It is with the deepest sorrow, we announce that Jacob Joseph Hickey, our most beloved son, brother, family member and friend departed this life on Monday, December 19, 2022.
Jake was 18 years old and a senior at West High School. Beyond that, he was so much more. He always charged into a room and into life. He was confident, affectionate, funny, and stubborn. He challenged us often. He loved hard and felt deeply. Sometimes too deeply.
He loved animals of all varieties but mostly his ferret, Smokey, who we lost in September. He was obsessed with music and movies. We were planning a graduation trip to Stockholm to see Drain Gang. He loved formulating his style, which manifested many times over the years but currently included BB Belts and Burberry…and the new Canada Goose coat he bought himself. He played lacrosse for 8 years and had loved skateboarding even through multiple concussions and stitches. He had just gotten his third season pass for snowboarding and went out the first day Brighton opened. Just once. He voted for the first time in November and was passionate in the fight against social injustice. He talked more than once about becoming a police officer because the country needed more good ones, and joined his sister at marches for reproductive rights. He was recently affronted when we cheered for Messi in the World Cup, given the Argentina president's racist comments about Brazilians. He also loved going to Disney World, playing Xbox online with friends…loudly, he consumed large amounts of sushi and Taco Bell, and adored Christmas mornings and camping. He loved his friends. He loved his family.
He left whatever pain he was feeling in that moment, but he also left us. We will never be the same. We will never know why.
He will be missed everyday by his mom and dad, Caroline and Joe, his sister and friend, Sophia, his nana, Caroline Brown, his grampa and nama, Ken and Carroll Brown, his aunt and older sister, Kelly Brown, his aunt, Mary Beth (David) Billingsley, his uncle, Patrick (Leann) Hickey, his honorary aunt, Tamra Hendrickson and many more great aunts, great uncles, cousins and extended family. He was predeceased by his uncle and posthumous godfather, Christopher Brown and his poppa and grams, David and Carol Hickey.
A visitation for family and friends will be held at 10am, followed by a public memorial service at 11 am at the City View Mortuary on Saturday, January 14, 2023. If you would like to express your sympathy, in lieu of flowers, a fund has been put together to go towards a memory bench at Hogle Zoo, a favorite escape of his. Please venmo @Krista-Fogarty (7310) or donate to a non-profit that supports mental health in our city.
Zoom Service Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88528909063?pwd=M1Y3UXpzd3Rha2ZSWEE4VGRWWHM2Zz09