RIP: Jason “J2” Rasmus

We were saddened to learn that pro snowboarder and all-around smile maker Jason “J2” Rasmus died surrounded by family and friends on May 26, 2019 following a battle with cancer. He was 46.

Designer Aaron Draplin visited him near the end and offered up many good words about Tooz’s life and times. Here are a few of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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DOUG LIFE: For Jason “J2” Rasmus. December 12, 1972–May 26, 2019. 👊🏼 Was on my way home from shows in Kentucky & Tennessee, and got to say goodbye to my old buddy J2, just hours before he passed. 👊🏼 I met Tooz when I started at Snowboarder magazine. Would see him at trade shows and the like. We never shredded together. I was out of the “up on the hill” game by the time I met him. When we got Snowboard Mag going in 2004, Tooz was there the night we kicked it off. You can see the pictures of J2, Dave England and Mark Sullivan working up the first ideas of the mag in my shitty basement apartment off Hawthorne & 24th. Page 50 in my book. I left him my book yesterday when I saw him. 👊🏼 I’d be driving through Salt Lake and would crash at Mikey’s. Tooz was a bit of a caretaker there. We’d go to Moca Salsa for lunch and catch up. It was one thing to be around J2 at a movie premier, trade show or party. But to just be having lunch or shooting the shit in Mikey’s basement, his guard would come down a little bit. Kind, creative, honest, feisty, funny and warm. 👊🏼 The last bunch of years, each time I’d rip through Salt Lake City—either on a road trip or for a speaking gig—I’d try to drag him out to hang. I left lots of voice calls, and hell, don’t even know if it was his phone? Just wanted to show him all the stuff I was up to. 👊🏼 Thankful I got to see you, buddy. Sorry it had to be that way, and not over tacos at Moca Salsa, like we did so many times. 👊🏼 “Alright, see ya, doug.” -J2 “Doug? Who’s Doug?” -Aaron “When a guy is both a dude and a dawg…that’s a doug.” -J2 👊🏼 (Thank you to his mom, sister, aunt and wife for allowing me into the room yesterday, during such a scary time. Thank you to Mikey and Whitey for getting me access to Tooz a couple years back. We had a couple awesome calls to get reacquainted. That was the first time he ever called me “Aaron” and not some bullshit “Thunder Thighs” or whatever. Thank you to Bennee and Dead Lung for the heartfelt update just feet from Tooz’ hospital room. Thank you to Mark and Jeff for pep talks. My heart goes out to his family, and all his Salt Lake City homies.) 👊🏼 For Tooz! 👊🏼 #j2 (@whiteymcc photo!)

A post shared by Aaron James Draplin (@draplin) on May 27, 2019 at 5:05pm PDT

Our thoughts are with Jason’s family and friends.