06/07/2026
Before you read this letter, I want to say something from my heart.
For years, I have tried very hard not to post letters people send me about the One Spark Foundation. We don't do what we do for recognition, applause, or attention. We do it because every person matters and because one act of kindness can change a life.
A few weeks ago, I received the following letter from Jack's mom. My first instinct was not to share it. The story is deeply personal, and I never want One Spark to become about me. However, Jack's mom specifically asked me to post this letter. She told me she wanted people to know that One Spark is alive and thriving, and that even after all these years, Sparks are still changing lives.
Out of respect for her wishes, I am sharing her words exactly as she wrote them.
Thank you, Jack's mom, for trusting us with your story, your son, and your heart.
P.S. Jack taught the world how to love; he taught me not only how to love, but also what a real BFF was.
You might think this is a long read, but please take the time to read every word and then share this with the world so they might know Jack.
Love,
David A2J
One Spark Foundation
The richest person in the world is not the one who has gained the most stuff, but the one who has given the most from their heart. -
David A2J
My son is Autistic and is a ball of fire. We have never treated him any differently than our other four children. His name is Jack, and he is the baby of the family. The other kids call him BIG JACK because his love for everyone is bigger than this world.
Jack is seven and loves people. He loves all his siblings, but his favorite is his oldest sister, Jessica. Jessica and Jack have an amazing bond that is stronger than anything we have ever seen. Jessica often asks God why Jack had to be different than everyone else.
This is how strong their bond is… When Jessica turned seventeen, she was invited to prom with a guy she really likes. Jack did not like him and would have nothing to do with her guy friend. Everyone thought that Jack was just jealous. Jack told her he wanted to go to prom with her, and at first, she said no. Then one day she came home and told Jack they needed to go shopping because he was going to prom with her and her date.
Jack would always tell her she should be going with Terry the giant. Terry was a junior, six feet ten and weighing 325 pounds. He and Jack were best buddies.
Jack and his sister were picked up by her date, and my husband and I felt like he really did not want Jack to go with them. Jessica made it clear to her date that if Jack did not go, she would not go either. Her date said it was against school policy for Jack to go, and that was when Jessica told him she had cleared it with the principal.
They arrived at the school for the dance, and Jack saw Terry and took off running to him. Jessica's date told her he forgot something in the car and asked her to come with him to get it. She went with him. Jack saw her going outside and followed them.
Jessica’s date decided to force himself on her, and she screamed. Jack ran as fast as he could and got Terry. When Terry and Jack reached the car, Jessica’s dress was ripped open on the front, and Terry grabbed the guy and laid a beat down on him.
When the police arrived, Jessica’s date began to lie about what had happened. I forgot to mention that her date is a spoiled rich kid who has never been held accountable in his life. Terry told them that when he got to the car, her date was on top of her, ripping open her dress, and Jack told them the same thing.
The private school Jessica goes to kicked out her date forever, and he was convicted of attempted r**e. He got six years in prison. Jessica is recovering with the help of her boyfriend, Terry, the giant.
Jessica found the One Spark page during the trial and fell in love with all the Sparks that were being posted. She reached out to the foundation and told them about Jack and what he did for her that night and every night since. Jessica had nightmares and could not sleep. Jack slept in her bed to keep the bad men away. Jessica is now a senior in college, and she and her boyfriend go to the same college where he plays football. I did not want to mention the name of the school so my daughter and her boyfriend would not be bothered and could move on.
The lady who took my call from the One Spark Foundation told me that Dave was fighting cancer and might not return a call to me for a while. I told her that was fine. I wanted to let him know about Big Jack and what he did for my daughter and what he does for everyone he meets. I called in around 2 pm and was on the phone with a lady for over an hour. I remember looking at the clock when I hung up because I had to get Jack from school, and it was 3:02 pm. I went and got Jack, stopped to pick up a few things, and then went home. Jack and I got home at 4:32 pm. I got Jack something to drink, and then my cellphone rang, and to my surprise it was Dave, the founder of the One Spark Foundation. He had just finished chemo, and we talked for over an hour. I could tell Dave did not feel good, but he just kept pouring love into me, and then he asked if he could speak with Jack. I said yes. He and Jack spoke for another 45 minutes. He told Jack he was a Flamethrower. Then Dave told Jack what that meant. He told Jack that he had reached the highest level of a Spark Giver. He told Jack he would receive a box of love from the One Spark Foundation in about a month. Dave told Jack he was his best Flamethrower and he loved him. Jack told Dave he would pray for him, and Jack handed the phone back to me. Dave told me he was going to have a few things made for Jack.
This was the longest month of my life because Jack asked me every day how many more days until my box of love gets here. It arrived three weeks later, and wow. Dave made him two shirts, two sweatshirts, two baseball caps and a backpack.
Jack wanted to call Dave every day, and he would find a way to make it happen. Dave was never too busy to talk to Jack. It was like they would stop when Jack called.
Jack had a lot of health issues from the time he was born. Dave would call Jack first thing every morning, and they would make a plan of the Sparks Jack was going to do each day. Jack could not wait for the call each morning. Dave would never hang up the phone without telling Jack how proud he was of him and how much he loved him.
Dave called Jack one day and told him he had a surprise for him. Jack asked when he could get it, and he told him it would be there for him when he got out of school. Jack was so excited and could not wait for school to get out. When Jack walked out of school, Dave was standing next to me. In almost two years that Jack and Dave had been talking, they had never met. Jack came over, stuck out his hand, and said, "My name is Jack, and I am a Flamethrower." Dave introduced himself and told him who he was, and Jack screamed so loud that people in China heard him. Dave asked Jack if he was ready for his surprise. Jack screamed yes. Dave brought him several new One Spark Shirts, sweatshirts, hats, sweatpants, and a few other things. Then Dave asked him if he wanted to go Sparking people, and Jack said yes.
Dave looked very tired. I asked if he was OK, and he said that if I was any better, I would be in Heaven. Dave was in one hell of a fight with the beast called cancer, but he wanted to pour into Jack, and for the next three days, Jack and Dave did over 300 Sparks. Dave stood in for his father, who decided to leave because of the stress from what happened to our daughter.
My husband came to meet Dave, and he told Dave he left due to stress, and Dave looked him dead in the eyes and said, NO SIR, YOU LEFT BECAUSE YOU ARE A SELFISH P***Y. My ex got so mad that he left. Some of you that do not know Dave might feel he was out of line; my family was so thankful he held him accountable.
Dave had to catch a flight, and the airport was two hours away. Dave was going to get a ride from a shuttle, and Jack said, “No way, best friend! I work for my mother and father in a very large company. So, my mother, father, Jack, and I took Dave to the Airport. My father is a very quiet man who does not show affection. When Dave got ready to leave, he hugged us all. My dad tried to say no, and that is when Dave said, "I am just giving you a hug, not Syphilis." He hugged my dad, then said something to him that changed him forever. We do not know what he said, but my father became the most affectionate person in the world.
About six months later, Jack got COVID, and it hit him hard. Dave called Jack every day, and then Jack took a turn for the worse; the next day, Dave was in the hospital. His doctors told him not to go because if he got COVID with his weak immune system, it could kill him, and he told them if something happened to Jack and he did not get to see him, that would kill him. Jack was in and out of Consciousness. But when Dave walked in the room, he lit up like a Roman candle; he was so excited to see him. Jack told Dave to put on a mask, and Dave told Jack that's not happening; he wanted to see him and all his glory and beauty. Jack passed away the next day, and we could tell it hit Dave hard. Dave said he needed to fly home, but asked if he could do Jack's service. We told Dave yes, and he said I have an idea.
Dave and the people at the One Spark Foundation made boxes of love for 1,000 people. We had a few boxes left, but Dave did an amazing job with Jack’s funeral. Each person was given very specific instructions in the box of love. There were also 52 spark cards in there for each person to do a spark per week in Jack's name.
I am sorry it has taken me this long to write this letter. If you are thinking about giving to a charity, please consider the One Spark Foundation, which blesses so many people each year without any paid employees.
Dave, thank you for being the man of God you are and for sharing your life and heart with my son.
Love, Jack’s mom.
