Jesse Mark Shreckengost

Jesse Mark Shreckengost, 40, of Worthington, PA, passed away peacefully at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh surrounded by his loving family.

Though Jesse came to the world in the traditional way, he was truly born on October 31, 1990 when he was struck by a speeding vehicle while trick-or-treating with his older brothers, Joshua and Jacob, in front of the family's home in Cowansville. The event left Jesse unconscious and in a coma for two months and the initial prognosis was extremely grim, but through the grace of God, Jesse awoke though his injuries left him a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic for the rest of his life.

Jesse's bodily injuries from the accident were extremely severe and doctors initially worried that he had suffered severe brain damage, but again, God was in Jesse's corner. The six-year-old returned home in 1991 after intensive rehabilitation, first at Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh and then at the A.I. DuPont Institute in Wilmington, DE, with his brain virtually unscathed and his internal organs intact.

Jesse graduated from Kittanning Senior High School in 2004 and during his formative years, he developed an attitude of tireless positivity in the face of overwhelming obstacles. As he grew into a young man, Jesse's faith deepened and he began to see his situation as the path God had chosen for him and his duty would be to inspire others with an unbreakable will to live and an unshakeable desire to persevere despite overwhelming odds.

In high school, Jesse continued to defy the odds as he devoted his time to his studies and to his love of music. Jesse was a member of the Kittanning marching band, concert band, chorus, and National Honor Society. He also served on student council and was the voice of the Wildcats during home basketball games. Outside of school, Jesse was an Eagle Scout and his Eagle Scout project was to build a playground at Union First Presbyterian Church in Cowansville where he was a lifelong member.

As an adult, Jesse became an accomplished painter, constructing original canvases with brushes mounted to his mouthstick. Jesse published a book of paintings entitled "Jesse's Jungle" full of original paintings of jungle wildlife. Jesse also painted dozens of scenes from the life of Jesus Christ as a way to share his faith with others.

Jesse was also an avid sports fan, first of his brothers' youth and high school teams, and as a lifelong fan of all three of Pittsburgh's professional sports teams. Jesse's unwavering optimism was most evident in his continued love of the Pittsburgh Pirates and he was a season ticket holder at PNC Park for over a decade.

A person of varied interests and blessed with a disarming social presence which put others at ease within seconds of meeting him, Jesse loved being around people and was intensely devoted to his family. His mother, Dr. Deborah Snyder, was his constant companion and she served as Jesse's nurse, advocate, and guardian among the hundreds of other jobs she undertook over the past 35 years. Mom and Jess went everywhere together and took trips far and wide to places like the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Pantages Theater in Toronto. Jesse and his brothers maintained a bond that only brothers can truly know and both Joshua and Jacob are honored to carry on Jesse's legacy of service and selflessness.

Finally, Jesse had several "happy places" where he was truly at ease and allowed himself a rare moment of relaxation from his life's work. Jesse truly enjoyed taking in a midsummer Sunday afternoon Pirates game at PNC Park and he especially loved his time spent at Camp Evergreen in Benezette, Elk County, PA where he would play Uno at the kitchen table, eat a few too many homemade cookies, and sightsee the majestic elk which freely roam the county's mountains, yards, and back roads. These are places where Jesse was truly at peace.

To know Jesse was to know courage, inspiration, relentlessness, toughness, faith, and fortitude. Even as a young child, Jesse never looked at himself as handicapped or at a disadvantage because of his situation and he never once complained about the bad hand he had been dealt. Instead, he used it as motivation to survive and succeed and by just being himself, he inspired countless people, a number far greater than any of us could ever imagine and though he is deeply missed by his family and friends, he will truly live on forever in our hearts, in our minds, and most of all, in our good deeds.

Jesse is survived by his mother, Dr. Deborah Snyder, his father, Dennis P. Shreckengost, and brothers Joshua Shreckengost and Dr. Jacob Shreckengost as well as nephew Aden Shreckengost and niece Isabella Shreckengost. Jesse is also survived by his maternal grandparents, Dean and Rose Aden, as well as several aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Agnes and Floyd O. "Duffy" Shreckengost. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Union First Presbyterian of Cowansville or Pirates Charities.

A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at Union First Presbyterian Church of Cowansville, 824 East Brady Road, Cowansville, PA 16218, on Tuesday, May 27 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. The family will receive visitors from 10-11 a.m. and the service, which will be officiated by the Reverends Mary Marks King and Dennis Molnar, will take place immediately following visitation. All who knew Jesse or were inspired by him are encouraged to attend.

Snyder-Crissman Funeral Home of Cowansville will be handling all arrangements, which are private.

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