It is with great sorrow that we inform our community that Jason Bolton, also known as Medawky, passed away Saturday, July 29th, 2023, after being critically injured in a vehicle accident Wednesday.
Jason was a beloved husband, son, father of two, and friend to hundreds. The compassion he showed in his day-to-day life, he also showed in the games he played. He cared about people and took genuine interest in them. He helped people in his work with Emergency Services; he helped Pantheon fans in his role in Customer Service with Visionary Realms; and he was the kind of person to drop everything for someone in need. If you were playing a game and were about to quit in frustration, you would soon get a message from Medawky: “I’m on my way.” He looked out for people, and even after his passing, he continues to help others as an organ donor. He was a hero.
Jason made you feel at home, wherever you were. Our home is a little smaller now without our Emotional Support Ogre, but it is filled with wonderful memories he made for us. He will be sorely missed but will always be remembered. Rest in peace, dear friend.
We wanted to add this statement from his wife as she knew how important this community was to Jason:
Jason was in a major car accident July 26th and was airlifted to San Jose where he was put on life support. He was declared brain dead July 29th and we started the organ donor process. Jason had elected to donate all his organs and tissues. He could potentially save up to 8 lives with his organs and improve the lives of up to 75 people through his tissue donation. They are checking viability of his organs, prepping his body, and finding matches now. If you know Jason, you know that this gift to others is exactly in line with who he is and the generosity he has always shown others.
He spoke about his friends in game and friends on the VR team often. His face lit up when he talked about it. He was so proud to play a part in bringing the game to fruition. Thank you all for the outpouring of love for Jason.
Sad to hear. Jason will be missed :(
Thoughts and prayers to his family, friends and co-workers
This was posted on Discord so I wanted to share it. A classic Medawky moment and proof he was a time traveler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWHuPTvyYxM&ab_channel=BazgrimTV
I am completely shocked and saddened by this news. I had the great fortune of working with Jason for many years as a developer on Pantheon and got to know him quite well. In fact, he and his wife visited me here in Indiana several years ago. We toured the Indiana University campus nearby, which is torture to a lifelong University of Kentucky fan, but I had to do it! We had a nice dinner and spent time socializing and getting to know each other better. He and I shared many common goals in life and he had a passion for adapting technology to make the world a better place. Even long after I officially left the project, and my Skype inbox dwindled down to a sad, empty existence, every once in a while Jason would check in and ask how I was doing. Just because he was that kind of caring person. He'd let me know how life was treating him as well, and was always positive. Sometimes he would ramdomly just text me to tell me Indiana basketball didn't look completely awful this season, but Kentucky would still dominate :)
Even sadder, this makes 3 great people that I worked with and got to know on a personal level on the Pantheon team to have had their lives tragically cut short. The Pantheon team is like an extended family, and to those working tirelessly on a project that they are passionate and committed to, not just for themselves, but to provide that same joy to others, it just doesn't seem fair.
Jason had his own great family who he cared for tremendously. My condolences go out to them and to the team at Visionary Realms. RIP Medawky.
Condolences to his family and friends. May he be ever felt through the ripples he created in the lives he touched.
