We created a GatheringUs memorial to celebrate the life of the one-and-only Jonah Spiegel. Collecting your stories and memories here will offer us great comfort. We also hope that his friends, our community, and those who loved him can have a chance to begin to grieve while relishing in the fond memories of... see moreWe created a GatheringUs memorial to celebrate the life of the one-and-only Jonah Spiegel. Collecting your stories and memories here will offer us great comfort. We also hope that his friends, our community, and those who loved him can have a chance to begin to grieve while relishing in the fond memories of his life. This is especially important given an in-person memorial will be delayed until we can safely be together physically. If we plan virtual gatherings, we will post invites. Thank you for contributing to this lasting memorial. We would love pictures, videos, anecdotes, really anything that keeps Jonah's spirit alive. We hope we will be able to come together in August if possible.
OBITUARY
Since learning of Jonah's death on May 20, 2020, nothing feels real. We have lost a guiding light in our family and it is unclear how we will now navigate the path ahead. We know nothing will be the same. We want to move forward with Jonah's spirit in mind--with love and loyalty, humor, kindness, confidence, passion and a commitment to living life to the fullest. He followed his heart and did not let anything get in the way of his... see moreSince learning of Jonah's death on May 20, 2020, nothing feels real. We have lost a guiding light in our family and it is unclear how we will now navigate the path ahead. We know nothing will be the same. We want to move forward with Jonah's spirit in mind--with love and loyalty, humor, kindness, confidence, passion and a commitment to living life to the fullest. He followed his heart and did not let anything get in the way of his dreams. We should all be so lucky to have such a reason to be.
See my main post below, This picture was supposed to appear first after winning a State championship game June 1st 2014, asking for guesses who on earth could have worn # 20? 😀
See my main post below, This picture was supposed to appear first after winning a State championship game June 1st 2014, asking for guesses who on earth could have worn # 20? ????
It breaks my heart to read these wonderful tributes to a very special young man and how I wish they were not necessary.
I knew Jonah for several years as one of his coaches and hopefully a mentor too but he will forever have a place in my heart.
As I... moreIt breaks my heart to read these wonderful tributes to a very special young man and how I wish they were not necessary.
I knew Jonah for several years as one of his coaches and hopefully a mentor too but he will forever have a place in my heart.
As I advance in years, the number of young people I have coached runs into many thousands.
Jonah or Big J was quite simply one of my favorites of all time. He made me smile so many times. His big cheesy grin (see my photograph below) and his wit were legend. But for sure could he play soccer, lead and inspire his team-mates.
His goofiness was ever-present, but it could never mask his intelligence or his desire to succeed. Rare indeed was it that an opponent got by Jonah, and if he ever did, it sure didn’t happen twice.
The pain I feel at the loss of Jonah cannot even begin to compare to the loss felt by his family and my heartfelt love and best wishes go to you all.
Jonah, you were unique and I loved knowing you. I will never forget you and most certainly there will never be another quite like you. less
Jonah was a classmate and friend to Kate since preschool, but I didn’t personally know him well until their junior year. I have always felt that how a person treats animals speaks volumes about what is in their heart. It was Jonah’s love of our dogs... moreJonah was a classmate and friend to Kate since preschool, but I didn’t personally know him well until their junior year. I have always felt that how a person treats animals speaks volumes about what is in their heart. It was Jonah’s love of our dogs that made me realize what a remarkable human he was. He was obviously smart, athletic, handsome...but the way he melted when he saw our dogs, it made me admire him in a whole new way. And if how he felt about animals wasn’t enough of an inshight to his soul, how they took to him, certainly was. Jonah used to come visit his “girlfriend”, his “best girl”, Tilly, in high school and when he came home on college breaks. We will miss seeing him laying around on our floor with her and our other dogs listening to him laugh and constantly remark about how “SO CUTE” they were. Thanks for being their number one insta fan and a part of our lives, even if it was far too brief. We will miss your visits and your spirit, Jonah. Rest easy. less
Jonah had a light that shined very bright and radiated humor, kindness and inquisition.
I have many fond memories with him and his family. A distinct one that keeps coming to mind is getting to go on back to school trips to the Burlington mall with him... moreJonah had a light that shined very bright and radiated humor, kindness and inquisition.
I have many fond memories with him and his family. A distinct one that keeps coming to mind is getting to go on back to school trips to the Burlington mall with him Maya, Summer &Sarah....I went to Cheesecake factory for the first time with them all. We would pack into the Chevy Traverse and I got to always feel like an extended part of the family. I don’t think they will ever know how special that was to me.
I do remember one day Jonah saying “I like Ben, I think he is one of your cooler friends, Maya”.
Mind you this was a good 10 years ago so our notions on that topic were not only skewed but also a bit naive. However, I share this almost superfluous memory because it meant oh so much to me at the time, and still does. Jonah carried such a prolific energy from such a young age, and feeling an approval and an embrace from him is a memory I will always cherish.
I also recall getting to see him on and off during college breaks back in Maine and Getting to continue the laughter & the memories at the Spiegel’s home.
He took on the west coast with tenacity and determination that frankly Is quite unmatched.
So much love to go around, and so many memories to suffice.
As a teacher at Falmouth High School, I knew of Jonah before ever meeting him. His reputation as a brain, an athlete, and a socialite made an impression on everyone in school. Despite not having him in an actual course, much of his non-academic time was... moreAs a teacher at Falmouth High School, I knew of Jonah before ever meeting him. His reputation as a brain, an athlete, and a socialite made an impression on everyone in school. Despite not having him in an actual course, much of his non-academic time was spent chillin’ in my classroom. He always made me laugh. He liked to push the envelope and to shock me with his stories. I know the more I tried to rein him in, the more amused he was with himself. Every shake of my head was a win.
Jonah excelled in all his advanced classes but he couldn’t be bothered with “bureaucratic nonsense” and busy work, so, he lost school privileges on and off his senior year. When he couldn’t leave campus, he’d sign into the Tutoring Center to hang with me Period 4. Strictly speaking, the Tutoring Center is for tutoring but Jonah treated it like an after school special, entertaining me and attracting other people to the table. He was a magnet.
Most of my memories of Jonah involve me laughing a lot but I will always treasure our more serious “life” conversations. Most of Jonah’s deep thoughts came out on long runs around Falmouth. He did most of the talking because all my energy was spent trying to keep up. I remember Jonah talking about his family and his love for “Sue”. He was excited for me to have “Sum Bum” in AP U.S. History; he paid her all sorts of compliments and made me promise not to rat him out. I remember him sharing his goals for the future and, sometimes, his fears. I remember thinking Jonah was a person who could accomplish anything.
The passing of a student or a graduate is always devastating for a teacher but this loss, truly, feels different. I’m fortunate to be one of countless people who carry a piece of Jonah's spirit with them. Knowing him was a gift.
All my love to the Spiegel family (especially you, Summer). less
Jonah and I were friends in elementary school. We were the only two kids in our 2nd grade class that had seen Little Miss Sunshine (maybe don't ask our parents why : ) and I know that I took pride in sharing that with him. I remember that once when he... moreJonah and I were friends in elementary school. We were the only two kids in our 2nd grade class that had seen Little Miss Sunshine (maybe don't ask our parents why : ) and I know that I took pride in sharing that with him. I remember that once when he came over for a playdate we were throwing stuffed animals back and forth in my room and he broke a clay pot in the process : )– there was never a dull moment with Jonah and I am thankful for how he brightened those years of my life. Rest easy, Jonah. less
At the start of junior year of high school I found myself extremely anxious/depressed, largely due to the fact that I was alone at home for the first time. Jonah had just started his freshman year at USC, and I was lost without him, and I am now feeling... moreAt the start of junior year of high school I found myself extremely anxious/depressed, largely due to the fact that I was alone at home for the first time. Jonah had just started his freshman year at USC, and I was lost without him, and I am now feeling that pain all over again, but to more of an extreme. Although growing up I was made fun of constantly by my two older siblings, we had a bond people would be lucky to ever have with their siblings. I became so anxious junior year without Jonah because I had always followed in his footsteps (and Maya’s but not really). He played soccer, so I played soccer. He was in high math, so every year I tried to get into it (and I did eventually NBD). He took AP Physics so I took it, even though I despise science. And an obvious one, he went to USC and so do I. My entire life I have just wanted to spend time with him, whether it was him making me play goalie outside or going to get Sapporo together when we were in High School. That trend continued on to college, but instead of feeling like the uncool little sister, Jonah made me feel like we were mutually bestfriends. Every time I would walk into his apartment he would yell “hey sumcrum!”, and at every party we went to together he’d introduce me to his friends. I felt famous walking in to tke because somehow everyone knew who I was, and I didn’t care if they only knew me as “Jonah’s little sister”. When Maya came to visit me and Jonah at USC I had felt like the third-wheel sibling, much like I did when we were growing up; but I didn’t care. I knew deep down it wasn’t actually like that, but their relationship was something I am so grateful I got to witness. They would make each other laugh until they couldn’t breathe, knew EXACTLY what to say to each other, and made fun of me together. I had to tap out and go back to my room because of how rowdy they were being, and I couldn’t keep up. Jonah and Maya have always been, and always will be my best friends. I will miss Jonah’s ability to always put me in my place and always rub in the fact that he was better at everything (besides his handwriting was awful). I’ll carry on his legacy at USC and hopefully become even half as successful as he would have been.
Here is a list of some memories that come to mind.
-Jonah and I playing ‘mini soccer’ in our kitchen
-Spending the entirety of Christmas break eating edibles and falling asleep on the couch. We also watched Beethoven and kept commenting on it.
-Him CHUCKING a Poland spring water bottle at me from across the kitchen
-Jonah reading ‘Magic Treehouse’ to me before I could read
-We would go to parties together and people would ask me “how long are you visiting?”, and Jonah wouldn’t correct them and tell them we both go to USC
-We would have sleepovers in my room where he’d drag a mattress onto my floor and sleep on it
-Him coming into my room when I was sleeping so he could take Stella (our dog) into his room
-Everyone in tke telling me “your brother is the absolute best”
-Him announcing to the entire library in High School that I had “shit my pants”, which was not true
-When we were play fighting at the bus stop and he punched me in the nose so hard I had to miss the start of school
-At my high school graduation he brought a fathead of my face and was screaming my name the entire time
-As you can see in the photo, he would never put his arm around me until his senior year, but I knew he loved me anyways.
-Him not admitting that he was over 100 pounds when we were in the airport
-He always said I never brushed my teeth, even though I did
-How excited he was about me getting into Kappa and saying it was because "I was so awesome". One of the few compliments he said to my face.
-How I would text him any and every question I had at school, and he usually would reply with "idk".
-How he let me lay on his couch in his apartment when I was crying.
-He forced me to take a bird scooter for the first time to meet him so we could get tacos as soon as possible. He also made me pay for those tacos, but I was just glad he wanted to get them at 1am when no one else did.
-He used to tell me he would 'train me' but it would just result in him saying we could run together. He ran a 6 minute mile. I can maybe run down a football field without stopping. He didn't understand this and would get mad when I said I didn't want to run 5 miles with him to Chris' house.
-Any memory of him is amazing, even the ones where he tormented me. I'll even miss him waking me up at 3am when he would crawl through the doggy door.
I’ll write more as they come. I’ll never stop thinking about you, Jonah. I am so glad you were so happy and you truly were living your best life. Hopefully somewhere inside me there is the humor, intellect, drive, and care you had the entire time. I love you so much.
-Sumcrum, Summy, Sumsum, Summo, and your favorite, Salome. less
I knew Jonah as Maya’s little brother. Over the years, I saw Jonah grow up and go off to college. I had the privilege of seeing him at USC. I could see how much he loved his school and friends. He came to visit Austin for the football game, and he met... moreI knew Jonah as Maya’s little brother. Over the years, I saw Jonah grow up and go off to college. I had the privilege of seeing him at USC. I could see how much he loved his school and friends. He came to visit Austin for the football game, and he met me at a house party. He came in wearing a Trojan shirt in Longhorn territory. He received a few comments, but shrugged them off and threw back some witty remarks.
He was extremely smart, and Maya would always say how he could read something once and remember it. Although I can’t say I saw him study a lot, he excelled in school anyways, which would make anyone jealous. There’s no doubt he would have been the most successful Spiegel (sorry Maya and Summer).
He was one of the funniest people I know. He knew what words to blurt out to make Maya cackle, a sight, and sound that would make anyone smile. I will truly miss his clever and funny banter with his siblings.
The Spiegel family are the strongest people I know. If anyone could come out stronger and still laughing along the way, it’s this family. I know Jonah misses them as much as they do, if not more. The bond this family shares is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Although he may not be here physically now, he’s with you all forever.
When I think of Jonah I think of his family. I feel so lucky to have grown up with the Spiegels and seen some of their best and worst moments. No matter the situation they always come out laughing. Many people are lucky to have experienced it, but I... moreWhen I think of Jonah I think of his family. I feel so lucky to have grown up with the Spiegels and seen some of their best and worst moments. No matter the situation they always come out laughing. Many people are lucky to have experienced it, but I can’t even begin to describe how funny it is to sit in a room with them as they shoot their witty comments and word play around. Jonah played a vital role in their whole system, and I can feel the missing piece.
Beyond Jonah’s humor, absolute brilliance, and determination, when I think of Jonah I think about his softness. He would actually make fun of anyone for saying that, but it’s true. I loved how he would come home and read fat Stephen King books for fun. As he got older and became “cool” I still couldn’t ever get it out of my head that when he was little would ask Sarah to straighten his hair because he didn’t like that it was curly. He loved his dogs and his parents. I know he looked up to maya so much and thought summer was way cooler than he’d ever lead her to believe. I don’t understand how, but Jonah created and spoke his own language that was complete gibberish, yet everyone understood him and didn’t question it.
There’s so many stories to think of. I am so grateful to have gotten in on a game of Quiplash with the Household 👏😩 last Tuesday night. I remember logging onto the zoom and the first greeting was “Hey Angelick!” from Jonah. He then proceeded to come up with the funniest responses but still lose to Maya.
I loved Jonah like a little brother and I’m going to miss him. But I am so lucky to have a friend like Maya and a family like the Spiegel’s who will never stop living life to the fullest. Love you all so much ❤️ Angelick less
Jonah was beautiful inside and out. I’m so glad I was able to know him. Here is a sketch i drew of him, as I do not have any photos/videos of him. Sending you love. -shelbis
Jonah touched my life with such zest and humor. I will never forget the force he was on the soccer field and utter enthusiasm he shared with all those around him❣️ Jonah gosh darn it rats that you are no longer here on this earth💔 THANK you for... moreJonah touched my life with such zest and humor. I will never forget the force he was on the soccer field and utter enthusiasm he shared with all those around him❣️ Jonah gosh darn it rats that you are no longer here on this earth💔 THANK you for the memories I will forever treasure as a result of getting to watch you boys play the beautiful game of soccer⚽️❤️ less
I would always get excited whenever Maya’s Cute Brother was coming to visit her at college. It was something special to be in a room together with those two and to witness the sibling love. Jonah will be missed by so many 💗
In November I went to visit a friend from high school at USC and I will never forget the conversation with my mom as soon as I got to the airport. I felt the need to call her to tell her how impressed I was with Jonah after observing him in his new... moreIn November I went to visit a friend from high school at USC and I will never forget the conversation with my mom as soon as I got to the airport. I felt the need to call her to tell her how impressed I was with Jonah after observing him in his new environment outside of Falmouth.
Jonah didn't know that I was visiting LA but as soon as he walked into the room and saw me his face lit up with a smile just as if we were back in a basement at a high school party. I hadn't seen him in a while and I had forgotten that his goofy laugh was as contagious as a yawn. A few moments later he received a call from a friend asking him to hang out (not a rare occurrence for a guy with social skills that could win him a presidency). Jonah didn't even need to think before replying "Sorry I can't, my friend from home is here." He then hung up the phone and stayed. Jonah and I weren't extremely close and he had no obligation to stay, but he did. Because he's Jonah.
To the Spiegel/Webel family-
Not many people are lucky enough to experience friends/neighbors evolve into a family. I realize now that I have always been mistaken when I talk about growing up next door to a family of 4 boys - because Jonah made 5.
When (not if) Jonah would have given a TED talk or college commencement speeches one day, he would have a great storyline about how he went from humble beginnings of spending his summers swimming in an above-ground, inflatable pool with a chihuahua lurking in the background to acquiring 7 houses with 7 pools. And I know that he would have dipped his feet into a bucket of clean water to rinse off before jumping into any of those pools - just to appease Judy from afar.
Jonah was loved by so many and will be missed by all. less
I shall post more later but for now here is some content from Maya's 21st birthday at Amigos.
We got turnt with the beagle Queso in the basement.
We made our Uber driver stop by Angela's house so she could retrieve her passport for me to use, then we... moreI shall post more later but for now here is some content from Maya's 21st birthday at Amigos.
We got turnt with the beagle Queso in the basement.
We made our Uber driver stop by Angela's house so she could retrieve her passport for me to use, then we made the driver make another stop (but told them it'd be fine if she really just came to a slow) at the antique store so Jonah could hop in the back. That driver had really had it with our shit at that point and didn't really care that there was a random person laying across all three people in the backseat of her Prius.
I remember McClain bought us all tequila shots which really sent me over the edge.
I remember Jonah loudly announcing to the bar that it was his sister's birthday and everyone needed to sing. And as they sang to Maya, she twerked.
I remember promising Jonah while we were blacked out that I would go on a run with him in the morning. And he legit woke me up the next morning yelling at me that it was time to "GET GREAT". He yelled that at me on the whole run and I thought I was gonna be sick. We went to Mackworth Island and I legit hid in the middle of the island among the trees just watching him do laps and then I finally emerged when he was concerned that he couldn't find me. We walked back to the Hell House and he told me how excited he was about USC, and I told him he'd need Rainbow sandals to fit in with everyone. I LOVE U JONER <3 AIR BIN less
I'll never forget the weekend Jonah, Erin, and I clowned around in Santa Barbara. We ate great Mexican food and Jonah played with Gracie the whole time. I remember thinking so vividly how fun loving Jonah was. He could have been with any of his friends,... moreI'll never forget the weekend Jonah, Erin, and I clowned around in Santa Barbara. We ate great Mexican food and Jonah played with Gracie the whole time. I remember thinking so vividly how fun loving Jonah was. He could have been with any of his friends, but instead he spent the weekend going to beaches and hanging with us. Treating Erin and I as an extension of Maya. It was so special mostly because Jonah made us laugh the entire time.
Love, Robes less
Jonah was my little brother, but he was so much more than that. He was my best friend. Everyone who knew him knew how close we were, and I am still so grateful of how protective he was of me. This past February, I flew out to California to visit both of... moreJonah was my little brother, but he was so much more than that. He was my best friend. Everyone who knew him knew how close we were, and I am still so grateful of how protective he was of me. This past February, I flew out to California to visit both of my siblings at USC. I ended up staying with Jonah and his friends in his apartment for the entire visit, and had an amazing time just being with him. I could tell how happy he was that I was there. I was and am still so proud of him. I always admired how confident and driven he was. I was the older sibling but I looked up to him in so many ways. I was always so excited to show off my little brother to my own friends, and I know he felt the same way when I came to visit. I am lucky to have had such a special relationship with him. Not many siblings can say they are as close as we were. I am so honored that I was able to spend 23 years of my life alongside him as his big sis and partner in crime.
For someone just 21 years old, he lived the fullest life possible. He was so happy in his life that this still doesn't seem like reality-- I don't think it ever will. I keep waiting for him to walk into my room in the morning and yell gibberish at me and make me laugh as he did every time we came back home to visit. I keep going to text him pictures of Stella, AKA Susan our dog, and forgetting that that is no longer an option. I miss everything about him, even the politically incorrect memes he would send me (probably too often). Although we were living on different coasts as we got older, we were still connected and had each other's backs when we were down. He would inspire me to try and get over my anxiety and remind me that life doesn't have to be so serious. When I was sad he would somehow know exactly what to say to me to make me feel better.
I have too many memories to count and I am so lucky that I will have them forever. Nobody on earth has made me laugh so hard. He had an infectious personality. I will never forget his super-human photographic memory which made him that much more clever and funny. He had every single thing going for him. Of course, nobody is perfect, but he was pretty close.
Here are some more memories off the top of my head:
-Watching Jonah play soccer in Germany
-When he got yelled at by the Woodland's employees for drinking beers at Summer's bat mitzvah
-Coming home late at night together and being way too loud on the back porch, but somehow not getting in trouble because we would make mom laugh too hard
-Remembering how all my friends at one point or another would remind me how cute he was and that they wanted to date my brother
-Jonah would get mad at me when we were little because I wasn't athletic enough to keep up with him playing soccer in the back yard. He would always kick the ball way too hard
-I would get mad at him when he would take my car to the gym and not change his shirt because the seats would be soaked with sweat when I needed to drive somewhere. His answer to that was usually "sorry sis!"
-Wrestling until I accidentally split Jonah's head against our TV room wall. There was blood everywhere and I'm pretty sure he never even cried.
-Smoking weed in South Africa at the top of a mountain we had hiked. He proceeded to start naming every teacher I have ever had starting from kindergarten as we walked along the top, making me laugh until I couldn't breathe.
-Him farting relentlessly in front of every boyfriend I introduced him to as a first impression
-Staying up late and falling asleep on the couch together, watching Goosebumps and Steve Brule. I seriously have never heard something make him laugh so hard, I didn't really get it but it was funny to hear him laugh
The memories are truly endless and I will write more as they come. I keep laughing through this incredibly shitty pain because I know that's what he would want me to do. I can't wait to get a tattoo on my arm for Jonah that I can look at every single day.