Jesse Cyrus Hamric
Jesse Cyrus Hamric was not the kind of person you could describe in just a few words. He wasn’t one thing; he was everything all at once. He was wild and calm, adventurous and grounded, fearless and compassionate. He lived his life unapologetically, with a heart so big and a spirit so bright that you couldn’t help but feel better just being around him.
He could land a triple backflip on a snowboard off a 60-foot jump. And this extraordinary fearlessness and passion for life has always been there. Born on September 14, 2005 in Hong Kong, China, where he spent his early years, he was the leader of the preschool playground. As the only American, he learned to lead with energy and enthusiasm rather than words.
Later, in formerly war-torn Bosnia, to the chagrin of his parents and local farmers, he and his brother would organize games of tag with local kids in a sheepfield covered in dung or challenge the posse to climb to the top of the tallest plum trees in freshly-cleared landmine fields. His confidence grew as a direct result of these overseas experiences and getting other children to unite to do amazing and brave feats. He learned quickly that your surroundings and circumstances don’t define who you are. People are drawn to joy, fire, and light, even in awful circumstances, and especially when courage is involved.
His approach worked when he moved to his dad’s native West Virginia where his passion for snowboarding exploded. As a preteen in Canaan Valley, he would copy older kids who shredded, convincing his parents to drive in the pouring rain and strong winds to hit every park in the rural Appalachian ski resorts. Using pallets and astroturf, he engineered the construction of a giant “fake jump” so he could train all year.
As he started winning local snowboard competitions on the East Coast, his parents sought more elite training and relocated the family to Colorado. Coming into established ski clubs with teammates who had competed since they were toddlers was intimidating. But Jesse only knew how to be himself: have fun, laugh, and go big. He was quickly embraced and loved by his teammates on the slopes with Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club and One Team International, as well as on the football field, the baseball diamond, the skatepark, and at the campfire. The theme repeated: live life to the fullest and on the edge, celebrate and honor every moment, and find joy and gratitude in relationships, win the hearts of people.
Jesse’s life was guided by his strong sense of adventure. He wasn’t afraid to get lost. Honestly, sometimes it felt like he preferred it that way. Last summer, on a cousin hike up in North Routt, CO, a “trail” turned into a scramble through the woods. Jesse led the way, full of confidence even though none of us really knew where they were going. “Where’s your sense of adventure?” he called back when they complained. He wasn’t worried. He knew they’d find our way — and we did. Eventually.
When the friends realized he’d disappeared, they shouted for him, over and over. No response. They were ready to turn around when they finally heard him yell back. Turns out, he’d been sitting by the river the whole time, totally relaxed, listening to the water while we panicked. He wasn’t lost. He was exactly where he wanted to be.
That was Jesse. He didn’t rush. He wasn’t in a hurry to get to the next thing. He knew how to stop and appreciate the moment, something most forget to do. He could sit quietly in nature, content to just exist.
Jesse’s love for life came from his family Jay, Heidi, Jake, and Izzy who share that same adventurous, compassionate spirit. He reflected their love and curiosity in everything he did. He was their son and brother in every way: brave, loving, and unafraid to explore the world on his own terms.
When Jesse passed, it felt like the world lost some of its color. But the truth is, his spirit is still here. It’s in the snowy mountains he loved and the people he left behind. It’s in the way his friends and family carry him through living big and loving big.
The Jesse Cyrus Hamric Foundation for Fearless Love and Courage exists to honor that spirit, reminding us all to live a little bigger, love a little harder, and embrace every new day with the same kind of energy Jesse did. If there’s one thing we learned from his life, it’s that life is meant to be lived fearlessly, with your heart wide open.
