A “bubbly” teenager who dreamt of becoming a DJ has died just weeks after his 18th birthday. Mason Jones, who was set to work as an apprentice in a café, was placed into a coma just three days after his birthday on December 4 and sadly passed away on Christmas Eve.
Mason, from Barry in Wales, had Down syndrome and was also born with congenital heart disease which he underwent multiple surgeries for from four months old. Speaking following his death, his mum Samantha Fry – who was also his full-time carer – paid tribute to the youngster.
The 35-year-old told Wales Online: “He was the best person. He had the funniest, most bubbly, sense of humour. He always loved to make people smile and laugh, play jokes, little tricks on people and mixed it up with love to make sure everybody else was happy and okay rather than himself.”
Mason fought hard against illness throughout his life, and but he never let it affect how he treated others. Samantha said: “He was born with Down syndrome and he was born with a congenital heart defect. He had his first heart operation at four months old, where they repaired the holes in his heart.
“Then his second heart operation was at four years old, and then his third operation was at ten years old, in 2017, where they put a mechanical valve replacement in his heart. Mason fought all his life, he suffered with pneumonia, he suffered with his bowels, his kidneys but Mason would never, ever let any of his illnesses put him down.
“He was always so happy, even when he was poorly, he was the happiest person. He would always want to make people happy. He would speak to anybody, he would make friends with anybody. He was so loved by everybody. Even if it was a hello in the streets, Mason could light up anyone’s day.”
Mason was a student at Ysgol Y Deri Special Education Needs School in Penarth, and loved music and cooking. He had been helping in the school’s kitchen for past two years as his mother explained: “He loved to be in that kitchen and cook.”
Samantha said: “He was into cooking, he loved cooking. He would have been starting next year in a cafe with sixth form as a work apprentice. Then he was actually into music. So he loved singing, dancing, playing with the decks and stuff like that. His favourite song was Sweet Caroline.”
For his birthday on December 4, Mason was gifted a DJ set-up, voice changing box, a microphone, and ‘everything he ever dreamed of’. Sadly, he had to be taken to the hospital on December 7, before he was put into a medically induced coma on December 8. After contracting multiple infections and sepsis, Mason tragically passed away on Tuesday.
Although the family have to wait until the end of January, Samantha wishes to give Mason a send off he would have liked. She said: “I would absolutely love to give Mason a horse and carriage, I would love that. I would love for everyone to be able to walk behind the horse and carriage through our local town.
“Mason’s favourite thing was to walk through our local town, see people, and just speak to them, say hi to them. That was one of his favourite things. So for Mason, I would love to walk him back through town.”
To support the family by donating to the fundraiser, click here.
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