Jonathan Sherling

Jon wanted to appear at his own funeral via video, something along the lines of …. knock knock it’s me, bet you didn’t think you would see me so soon?!?!?

That was Jon (also known by some of you as Yoni), always up for a laugh with his dry wit, sense of humour and lust for a good time. Jon didn’t take himself or life too seriously but always made the following a priority:

His community – Whether immediate, distant or chosen family, Jon always prioritised his moments with us all and carved out time for one on ones, making you feel like you were seen and always heard.

His Reliability – He was consistently reliable, always up to any task big or small, from making sure your car insurance was up to date to baking a challah or a birthday cake for the next occasion.

Always saying yes – Jon never objected to any opportunity that came his way, he was sure to make time for it all; a marathon, a party, a trip, a slice, a drink, a football game or a group research session on the best flight points can buy.

His commitments – Noncommittal until he was.

A wholesome CV that not many would turn down.

I have no doubt that my husband touched each one of you in this room. His unique wisdom, unparalleled advice, fierce protection, subtle competitive edge and constantly seeking a good old time celebrating someone or something or quite simply nothing. Selfless, loyal and always hassle free, Jon made it look easy.

He always was right

However, the last eighteen months have been nothing short of hell for Jon, aside from the obvious, he found himself at the forefront of everyone’s thought, under the spotlight, not for his hopes and dreams but rather the opposite. Nonetheless he continued to keep his chin up, and maintained his focus on his life’s priorities, his family, his Arsenal, his friends and pizza/tacos/burgers/milkshakes/ Philly cheesesteaks and more. As the days grew harder, so did his candid view of the world and cutthroat communication. He threatened to throw several of us out of the hospital window if we didn’t shut up.He got straight to the point, sometimes too quickly. However, never did he ever say anything that was far from the truth. He always was right, so accurately correct in everything he did or said. It was annoying at times at how right he was, but we all depended on him and perhaps forever will. He was right about all the friends he chose in his life, he was right about traveling the world and always seeking an adventure, he was right about all the career choices he made, he was right about moving to New York, he was right about all the absurd gadget purchases, he was so very right about the business ideas he had and created, but most importantly he was right about the need to live life to its fullest as he knew from a young age that life is too short. Our motto was to live each day like it was our last and I am proud to say he and we together did exactly that.

you always seemed to find the light

Yoni, we’ve lived a whole lifetime you and I, and over the seventeen years, I have witnessed you leaving your legacy on me, the kids and every single person in this room. Even in your darkest of hours, you always seemed to find the light which is proof in this email Jon sent to Ray and Remy in March 2023.

Ray & Remy

It’s just over two months since we were all on vacation together with Umba, Papa and Saba in the Dominican Republic. Unfortunately, I found out I had a brain tumour while we were there, and then when I flew home, I realised it was another cancer that had spread there from my chest.

It’s been a very busy few months, lots of visitors from family and friends, lots of hospital appointments for treatment, and time to spend with you two.

I’ve had a lot of emotion: anger, frustration, happiness, sadness, joy, pain. A lot of thinking about the future. The biggest frustration has been a true lack of understanding of what my future holds. The second biggest has been a frustration at the type of cancer that came for me. A LOT of people get diagnosed with cancer every day, I am just frustrated that mine doesn’t have an easy and obvious path out of it.

This doesn’t mean I won’t be fighting it with every tiny bit of strength I have, but it does feel like a bit of an unfair fight. One of the earliest lessons Umba and Papa taught me was that, unfortunately life can be unfair. As I’ve got older and wiser, this truth has become more obvious. It is quite literally one of the facts of life.

Life is precious, you must respect it, protect it, enjoy it and embrace it

And whilst life can be unfair you have to remember that as a consequence, life is also amazing. I may be emotional about the uncertainty of the future, angry about my situation but I’m also filled with joy every single day. I relish the time I spend with you and your mother; I live every moment with as much happiness as I can. Life brings a constant flow of emotion, it’s these emotions that makes life, well, life! Happy or sad, never forget that life is amazing. Life is precious, you must respect it, protect it, enjoy it and embrace it. Don’t focus on what is fair or unfair, focus on creating happiness for you and your family.

Looking back, I think we have done a great job of this with you two boys, the happiest, funniest and most loveable kids that I know. You both have a gift that I don’t see anywhere else. Never lose it, because life is amazing.

Daddy

xxx

Jon always said not everything is forever. He is right, not everything is forever, but the memories we all have of and with him are most certainly here to stay. Our love and admiration for his strength and determination in absolutely everything he set his mind to, will most certainly be forever. But most importantly, our celebration of his and our short but very full life together will never end.

Yoni, our boys will be carrying you with them every step of the way, walking your walk and talking your talk, because you were always right and I’ll be sure to remind them daily.

you’ve left a fully thought-out business plan for me to fulfil

Although facing this world without you is something I never thought I’d have to prepare for, you put measures into place to make sure I could get through it without a glitch. You set me up to continue life without you as best as possible, even down to the last Amex point, outlining which credit card I should be using for what to max out on the most benefits. But nothing could have prepared me to stand here in front of this huge turnout without you by my side, holding my hand and telling me it’s going to be ok. Because that’s what you always did. You never left my side for one second, your fierce loyalty and commitment to our marriage was unparalleled. You stabilised my chaos, calmed my crazy and never stopped believing in my ability to achieve. The best partner in our small start-up of two, which grew to four plus Sumo. The beautiful life we created was just taking off and we had it all ahead of us. However, it’s only now that I realise what it was all for; you were striving for your biggest insurance policy; stable growth, without too many risks and only high returns. Well, you’ve left a fully thought-out business plan for me to fulfil and even though you won’t be here physically to see it through, it will always feel like you are by my side at every stage.

Thank you for everything my love, as far as I’m concerned, you achieved it all and more.