(Written by Taylor of minifigME.com)
On March 2nd the LEGO community lost one-of-their-own. A talented and creative 10-year-old boy who was much loved by his family and by thousands of “unknown” friends around the world as they followed his journey on Facebook. Mitchell Jones, who was also a huge LEGO fan, passed away early Saturday morning in his family home. He had been surrounded by the extreme love that only a family like Mitch’s can bring, and was forced to leave much too soon.
I never met Mitch in person but was honored to have the opportunity to “meet” his family using the medium of LEGO. A couple of weeks ago I was contacted by Lyle, one of his close family friends who had come across my website and wanted to minifigME Mitch’s entire family. (UPDATE: minifigME.com is no longer in service.)
While we were gathering their pictures so that we could put each of their faces on a minifigure (his Mom, Dad, siblings and his Aunt Sonya), and learning about their interests in order to more fully capture their personalities, we were told that Mitch had Muscular Dystrophy and because of a complication with his heart was only expected to live a very short time.
We have a son who’s nearly the same age as Mitch, who has also faced an arduous set of medical challenges, so Mitch’s journey touched our family in a very deep way. We rushed to get Mitch his minifigME figures in time and were extremely thankful to find that he received them before he had to go. We shed tears as we later saw on Facebook the smile that lit up his face as he opened his special gift, and we felt truly humbled by the experience.
Mitch and his family knew what was happening and they valued every single day, every special – and even every ordinary – moment that they had together. I believe we should all aspire to do the same with our children and with each other. Every time we get a chance to play a game, build a LEGO set or even run an errand with our kids I think it would be an incredible tribute to Mitch to notice – even if just for an instant – how fortunate we are to have that moment together.
I believe Mitch is now at peace and I know from following Mitchell’s Journey on Facebook that his family is painfully facing the nearly unbearable task of grieving for their child with the same love, bravery and grace that they demonstrated throughout Mitchell’s illness. We wish for them moments of peace and that they can be uplifted by thoughts sent by the entire world, as well as the LEGO community, during their time of sorrow.
Mitch, like most of you reading this, loved building with LEGO. His Dad wrote in his journal, “It is a tender thing to see how softly he picks his LEGO up. He is so feeble and his hands hurt from the IV but he presses on with determination… as weak as he is … he insists on building with LEGO. He loves following instructions and seeing a desired outcome. When he was healthier he built with LEGO a lot. Sometimes his mom or aunt would help him. Mitch was always saving his money to buy another big LEGO set.”
But as Mitchell’s time grew short and body weakened it became much harder for him to build with LEGO and this saddened him deeply. We hope there are LEGO bricks in your next phase of existence, Mitchell, and that you are now completely freed up to PLAY ON!!! Your journey touched and inspired so many lives… and the world will miss you…
I wanted to share Mitchell’s story with you as he touched our family so much and I believe he will touch you too. If you would like to learn more about Mitchell, you can follow his journey at Mitchell’s Journey on Facebook. Thank you for reading and giving me this opportunity to share.
That is so touching and yet so sad 😥
So sad 🙁 he sure did love Legos 🙂 🙁
He was so young! What kind of sickness did he have? 🙁
Muscular Dystrophy. It’s mentioned in the article. Sad.
specifically:
Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, a catastrophic muscle wasting disease which results in progressive muscle deterioration and is fatal by late teens/early twenties.
So sad. 😥
He had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
If you want to help people with Duchenne, including Mitchell, my son Joey, and thousands more around the world; please visit parentprojectmd.org for more information.
What a brave young man, I so admire his courage and strength throughout his short life. All the best to his Family and friends.
So sad…Not sure what else to say. From the pictures it seems like he’s a nice guy. He’s building Bag End in one of the pictures, I got it too and it’s a great set 🙂
I didn’t mean that comment to sound rude.
It doesn’t sound rude 🙂
This is a tragic blow to the Lego fan industry! No person,especially as young as Mitchell,should ever have to experience such a tragedy. My regards go out to his family, and at least he was able to enjoy Lego,life and a Lego life while he could 🙁
Thanks for sharing, I have a daughter nearly his age and I could not bare to mis her (even though she can be a pain in the butt sometimes:D).
Glad he had something he enjoyed before he had to go:)
So sad and yet I would like to beleive that LEGO helped Mitchell through the difficult days and that it kept his mind off of his illness. God bless Mitchell and all the other children that have lost or are still fight through difficult illness.( Ihad heart surgery when I was five yrs old.So, I under stand being sick as a child.)
So do I. I still have asthma.
So very tragic. My thoughts are with this little boy, and his family. I hope they find peace and comfort in his memory.
i don’t know i would feel if i lost a family member that i loved and cared for (because i’m not a perent in a KFOL) that’s really sad 🙁 if the parents are reading this i’m very sory for the loss they have. 🙁 🙁
Very sad when they leave too early. It is just Wrong for a parent to have say “bye” to their own offspring. Sweet Journey young one and may it be fill hope, love, and lego building. 🙁 You must always swallow every single moment. *I am a parent, I freak reading these.*
If you want to help people with Duchenne, including Mitchell, my son Joey, and thousands more around the world; please visit parentprojectmd.org for more information.
This is just so sad! The kid looked just so happy with his Lego. I hope he will rest in peace and as you said I hope where he is right now he can do what he likes best. Probably one of the most tuching stories on this blog yet.
MITCHELL loved to build legos, my son also loved legos too. Duchennes is horrible and i hope there is a cure, may be there is some way legos can donate legos to some of the Muscular Dystrophy clinics in honor of the boys who passed from this. GOD BLESS!
What’s Duchennes? A disease?
Aah…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchenne%27s_muscular_dystrophy
If you want to help people with Duchenne, including Mitchell, my son Joey, and thousands more around the world; please visit parentprojectmd.org for more information.
Carolyn-how do think we could make that happen? I would love to put something together for the clinics in honor of Mitchell.
Jenn i have been sitting here trying to think of way to make it happen, my son Emmanuel passed away from Duchennes he was 16 years old on September 26, 2012 and he loved legos and Transformers he has some not even opened yet, but i know when some of the children go to the clinics there is not alot to do. I would love to do that, in honor of all that have passed from this, and thanks to Mitchell and his family . I live in new jersey.
Carolyn
I would love too my son also passed from Duchennes on September 26, 2012 he loved legos. I have been brainstorming all night. I live in New Jersey.
Carolyn
Aw. So sad but touching at the same time.
Hope his family the best.
I have been following Mitchel’s journey for a while and was heartbroken when I heard the news of his passing. My own son, aged 3 also has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. A cure for this dreadful disease is in sight but the charities desperately need funds as they receive no government help. We are trying to do our bit by running auctions through a facebook site. https://www.facebook.com/DMDCharityAuctions
It was a tragic loss, my son also has DMD and also loves Legos, with this disease the boys like to put themselves in an imaginary world where they can jump and run without difficulty. I think the Legos help them with that!
I have been following Mitch’s journey for sometime. Even though it broke my heart every single time I read an update from the family, I somehow became stronger after crying those tears for a little boy I had never met. The grace and strength displayed by his family is something we all could soak ourselves in and the grace and love with which they let him go is heroic.
I blessed you a million times when I saw the post from his family on receiving the figurines from you. Blessings to you. And Mitchell’s family.
Thank you for sharing this. This has been an amazing journey that has touched me in ways I cannot even explain. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and may they find peace knowing that he is now at peace.
My son also has DMD and is also a LEGO fanatic. Today is his 9th birthday. God bless Mitchell, his family, and all our DMD boys!
Thank you for telling the story of our son. He loved Legos so very much. We are grateful to you.
Very beautiful story. We all miss Mitchell, even those of us who never had the privilege to meet such a wonderful young man.
Our tribute to the delights that a boy warrior, sweet and loved by all …. Nor knew him personally, but is regarded as being of my family .. I pray to God every day for this family, many angels, much protection and Micthell can be happy and resting in the arms of the heavenly Father and his parents look like a star now shines bright from heaven …
Nossa que delicia de homenagem ao um menino guerreiro, doce e amado por todos….Também não o conheçi pessoalmente, mas é considerado como sendo da minha família..Peço a Deus todos os dias para esta família ,muitos anjos, muita proteção e que Micthell possa estar feliz e descansando nos braços do pai celestial e que seus pais o vejam como uma estrela que agora brilha e ilumina lá do céu…
Note: This is basically the same post as above, but in Portuguese…
What a beautiful tribute to this boy and his love of Legos. Putting a smile on this child’s face is worth more then all the millions this company makes. Good for you Lego Co for doing things to make your young consumers happy.
You have summarized so well the many feelings and thoughts my own family has had sharing Mitch’s journey and his passing beyond the veil. Thank you.
Thank you for helping to spread Mitchell’s story and for your kindness in making sure he got those special MinifigME in time. My son has Duchenne as well and he is also a HUGE Lego fan. I agree with the other parent that said that Lego lets the boys use their wonderful imaginations to act out the things they cannot do. Great article.
I was so pleased i took time to read such a wonderful story. What a great young boy and his excellent family and friends, very touching and sad. So happy he got to see MinifigMe in time. May God bless his family and friends and all who helped to make him so happy. Sincere condolences to his wonderful Parents, Family, Friends and the Lego community. Bless everyone of you. Thanks for sharing his story.
I am touched by your generosity and for giving us an inspiring understanding of how precious, our little acts of kindness to a child who changed me and the way I see myself, my world and those surrounding me.
this article speaks very well of how happy Mitchell was and is with his lego and forever, I will keep him and his smiles though we are miles away and heaven’s apart. 🙁
Thank you so much for making such a special gift for Mitchell that lit up his whole face. It made him so happy. God bless you.
What a beautiful article about such a beautiful child and family. Thank you for that.
Mitchell, I hope that you are now at peace sweetheart. I pray that Heaven has more LEGOs than you know what to do with!
To his family, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful son with the world. I pray that you find peace, and continued support in your fight with this disease. GOD BLESS!
Prase The LORD
Dear Taylor,
Your heartfelt sharing of this family’s journey touched me deeply. The love you felt for Mitchell and the happiness you helped to bring him is what being human is all about. Thank you and God Bless you. Sincerely,
Patty R.
Thank you for sharing this story about beautiful Mitchell! My son Jack was a huge Lego fan as well and wanted to grow up to be a LEGO designer. For his 12th birthday, my husband took him to LEGOLAND in California. A few months later, Jack was swept away by flood waters and died. Everyone wore crosses out of LEGO at his funeral. We will always be grateful for our 12 years with him and for how much joy his LEGO brought him.
Anna, thanks for sharing. That’s just hearbreaking. Memories like that makes those LEGO sets and creations Jack left behind even more special.
Oh, such a sweet sounding boy! May his young soul rest in peace in heaven with The Lord. Sweet restful peace to him and his family and cherish life and everyday with hope and love and prayers! Peace<3
It’s articles like these that make me still believe in the goodness of Man & that there are still a few good humans on this planet.
This is truly a Triumph for Man moment! The fact that you went the extra mile to rush the minifigMe to Mitchell was, to say the least, inspiring.
Thank you for your efforts, and thank you for this article. I’m only sorry that I read it far too late.
There is no need to be sorry. Stories like this will continue to teach us lessons and inspire us in so many ways. That is the legacy of this brave young man.