JonMichael Richeson

August 1, 1983 to October 28, 2023

On Saturday, October 28, our family suffered the tragic loss of our youngest son, JonMichael Richeson.  Too saddened by his passing, we delayed sharing while our family was processing.  However, on October 29th a leak began to spread word from Manteo before we could tell friends and family.  We apologize to many of you for lost opportunity to share to you from ourselves first.  We thank the first who upon finding out sent the first wave of love God knew we needed.  We appreciate the respect shown for our privacy while loving us through text and lifting us up in prayer.  Your prayers were and continue to be felt for strengthening us. 

Sunday, November 5th our family pulled together a private memorial on behalf of our hurting hearts that needed each other where time to process together within a transparency that could allow us to love one another openly for the 2nd wave of healing.  From the beautiful tribute, a link is shared below as a gift to his and our many friends and loved ones that we hope will bless and bring comfort to each of you for finding your personal closure. 

JonMichael was born August 1, 1983, to John & Michelle (Shelly) Richeson.  He was the youngest of our 3 sons.  He lost his oldest brother, Jeremiah, when he was 12 years old.  He is survived by his brother Asher who has been the rock in his life. They have been best friends since old enough to wrestle and play.  They shared the better part of the last 20 years working side by side.  With only 2 years between them, they each had a personal file cabinet of their lives logged in each other’s hearts.   JonMichael also had the luxury of coming from a large family with many aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins who were like an extended family of siblings.  His cousin Nicole Farrell, closest to his age, was joined at the hip and contributed to some of these memories.  As a child she was deeply saddened to find she couldn’t grow up and marry her best friend 😊 She shared comments to follow and a tribute video below. 

“JM loved the family deeply and you could see his joy and hear his laughter whenever together. We cherish family memories of Water Country USA, family beach day at Pink Elephant, 4th of July picnics, and Thanksgiving where drawing names for the especially favorite “Christmas Dirty Santa.”  Asher-B-Dasher was JonMichael’s rock, confidant and best friend, big brother.  This bond only deepened at the loss of their older brother, Jeremiah, 28 years ago. Although much of JM’s life was hidden and kept in a vault, if he opened his heart, it was deep and heartfelt.”         Nicole Farrell 

Family memories were shared during our private memorial to begin healing our fractured souls and navigating the new residency of JonMichael in our hearts.  Nicole recalled a text sent from JonMichael this past spring that expressed JonMichael’s heart… 

“Never hesitate to let (each other) know if we can help in any way.  We’re the next generation of family, and we need to know we can support each other when needed for whatever life may present.  We stand a better fight as a team than on our own.”  JonMichael Richeson 

JonMichael married Tori Selby in 2006.  Their love brought an incredible handsome son, Nehemiah Richeson, into the world.  Although Nehmer’s world had challenges within his special needs, he is an awesome gift to our family.  JonMichael became the responsible and incredible single dad for the better part of Nehemiah’s now 17 years while maintaining friendship with Tori who a part. Nothing was bigger than DAD for which Nehemiah signed daily with his ASL gesture to the forehead.  Nehemiah is doing as best his heart can understand and has added a new sign to Daddy…a closed fist over his heart.  We have had the joy of sharing joint guardianship and being his 2nd home away from Daddy’s home for the last 10 years, so we continue to sow JonMichael’s hopes into Nehemiah’s life. 

Life is complicated, and John and I have more questions than answers.  JonMichael lived life big but carried pain at many of life’s disappointments.  This summer seemed especially difficult, and something more than we had understood.  Asher had been by his side this past summer for which JonMichael had become out of sorts when an old friend stepped back into his world with greater presence and of which seemed to grow worse over the summer.  John and I, along with Asher, stayed in prayer and concern but he had become more isolated from us in the presence of the returning person in his life, especially in the last month.  JonMichael and our family were in strong commitment to one another that we would never allow the tragedy we had experienced to ever happen again.  However, he became isolated and bound from being able to share his mental struggle with Asher or us. His adopted grandmother and dear friend Nancy Burnette picked up on it as well. Her care over his heart was priceless, and his care over her and family dogs were priceless.  However, he locked us out while locking himself into a place greater than he shared.  

This one event does not define JonMichael’s life. Although JM kept his convictions to his heart, JonMichael loved God, but had lost hope and a strategy to battle the enemy of our soul.  We need Holy Spirit to help navigate us through a world where unclean spirits come as a “…thief to steal, kill and destroy” (Jn10:10). We candidly say in cliché during tough times… “oh, you know the demons in our head’.  This may be more real to some than we willingly admit.  We shutter at the reality of hostages being held by Hamas, described as demonic evil, but we so often are held hostage in our minds ill equipped to fight against an enemy we can’t see.  Israeli soldiers entered tunnels of darkness in search of hostages compelled by love. Some they lost and some they saved.  We too, compelled by love, fought but lost JM before we could retrieve him from a reality he was fighting and from circumstances that had cornered him. 

There are many sins people falsely believe will send a person into eternity apart from heaven…sins as judged by man.  However, the Bible affirms judgment belongs to God. Holy Spirit has been sent to convict us of the only sin that could keep us from redemption & reconciliation to a Holy God.  The Sin of Unbelief that God gave his Son, Jesus to shed blood to pay for ALL sin, a price we are incapable of paying.  Believing and receiving Jesus within that plan is something JonMichael did with deep conviction.  We believe we will see him again. Belief in that plan is essential for eternal life in Heaven, but SALVATION on this side of the veil was intended for much more. Deliverance and healing are the children’s bread. Children are believers intended to receive deliverance & healing; a full provision of salvation once rescued from the enemy…help we long to give every enslaved hostage.  Someone (fig. or real) undisclosed to us manipulated an entrapment for his future to live a lie he did not want…were some of his last words to me. 

What we found when discovering our son was not something we believe JonMichael could have ever done to his family, or his son nor his friends. Nor would he have ever put our family through such tragedy again as he confidently shared over the last 28 years.  We don’t understand the battle he was facing, nor would it be fair or just to judge. On October 14, JonMichael had written to John, me, and Asher, “Don’t believe the hype…y’all know me better than anyone!!”  We did not know what this meant, but we are seeing a lot of hype not consistent with who he was the last 4-10 years.  John and I have taken our fractured souls to the cross where there is healing and open arms to receive our pain while knowing JonMichael is no longer in the mental pain he was experiencing. He loved and spoke well of so many of you friends, and you know who you are…as though there had been no time lapse when at a moment of catching up with each other.  

Our family is still processing and will be for a long time…we are breaking inside, but we have learned to trust God within the journey that is our story.  We thank you for your love and prayers shared through cards and text of which has been a baptism of God’s Love.  We know we will have challenges ahead of us, but we also know Jesus will carry us by the Holy Spirit, and know God releases his Love to heal through the Church, not a building but a people, “…we stand a better fight together, than alone.” (JM) We also, are praying for the many that loved him who are also in pain knowing the biggest hurdle is missing the one we love as we struggle to find a new normal made by his absence. 

JonMichael is immediately survived by his son, Nehemiah Richeson; his parents, John & Shelly Richeson; his brother Asher & Tami Richeson with 3 beautiful children, Amarah, Harper, and Ryder.  He has an abundance of uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, 2nd cousins for which include blood family of: Richeson, Diggs, Farrell, Duffy, Shealey, Boniface, Whittington, Reich, Parsons, and Smit. He was greeted by many gone before him: his brother Jeremiah, Aunt Kathy, Uncle Scott, many Grandparents, and many friends – young and old alike.   

The greatest support needed have been the prayers, hugs, kind words, encouragement, and memories. We would love pictures (pls send via text 252-489-9529). We appreciate your gift to our family by giving us privacy and by respecting that the questions and answers are not worth the spiral, knowing we will instantly understand on the other side of the veil. A heartfelt thank you from all our families listed above!   Our God is bigger than circumstances.  He can be trusted.  He is holding us in the palm of His hands, and all our family look forward to chance meetings where encouragement to on another will assist our individual healing journey… we are praying God will redeem with better understanding the things JonMichael felt trapped, restore hearts that suffer in the loss of our family member, in the loss of his friendship, and reconcile a needless act by holding on to each other to share our burdens. 

Below is one video published by Amarah on behalf of Uncle JonMichael, “A Family Tribute” shared at our family memorial.  We hope it blesses as a gift for each person to find closure in their own way.  The first song is “So Will I…” and 2nd song is a special compilation shared between Asher and JM to reflect upon the special relationship they and their cousins shared, sorry friend pics were missing for so many we would have included. Amid the devastation, God spoke 2 words to my heart by His Spirit.  Two words from God is enough, “Trust Me.”  Then I awoke to the song, “So Will I”.  It enters into a covenant of agreement for trusting and praising God through circumstances.  The best support to John and me, would be a hug, a nice text… but mostly, a “So Will I” from your heart that comes into agreement that God always has the final Word.  He will redeem this for His Glory.  He is the One who turns graves into gardens and gives beauty for ashes.  Thank you for trusting God with us.  Shalom!  

John & Shelly Richeson
815 W Kitty Hawk Rd                                                                                                                            
Kitty Hawk, NC 27949