HEADLINES

“At 13, He’s a Digital Prodigy”

“Prodigy seeks out high-tech frontier”

“Derek Jacobs, among youngest in nation to achieve MCSE status when he was 12, killed in accident”
Associated Press

DEREK’S STORY
At age 12 Derek became the youngest Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) in the world. This certification qualified Derek to run the computer systems of virtually any corporation or organization. He helped local companies, individuals, and his schools in the areas of both technological applications and educational training.

At age 14 our family became the first civilians in the world to be implanted with — at Derek’s behest — a medical-information microchip, being motivated mainly by his father’s history of serious health emergencies. As already mentioned, he received worldwide media attention, and the highly anticipated groundbreaking “Chipping” event was covered live by Katie Couric on NBC’s Today Show on May 10, 2002.

By age 16 Derek had already earned two college degrees; an AA Degree in Liberal Arts and an AAS in Electrical Engineering.

At age 18, Derek was set to graduate from Florida International University with a degree in Computer Science, in addition to completing the full pre-med course load before attending Medical School the following year. Integrating his expertise, logic, and skills in computers and engineering with his knowledge and love of the health sciences, his dream was to become a neurosurgeon and medical innovator, to help create further advances in devices and treatments for a range of maladies, including neurological diseases and, of course, diabetes.

But on September 30, 2006, just before his graduation, Derek tragically died in a traffic accident, about one mile from home. When this accident took Derek’s life, it was then that also our lives, filled with enthusiasm and purpose, were virtually extinguished. Our hearts will never again experience the same elated beats of deep joy and feelings of fulfillment that we felt with every thought, word, or touch of our son, yet we are at least immensely grateful and honored to have been his parents.

DEREK’S JOURNEY AS A WHOLE-LIFE WARRIOR
Derek was a wonderful soul, a Whole-Life Warrior with an exuberant thirst for life. He worked hard and played hard, enjoying so much, wisely and efficiently balancing academics, sports, music, friends, and family. He was self-motivated with an amazing sense of humor, thoughtfulness, generosity, and compassion, and he always took personal responsibility for his journey’s challenges. He was a multi-dimensional, passionate human being who merged his desire for knowledge and excellence with his love of humanity. He was on a quest to fulfill all of his dreams, while always helping others.

Although we feel that our child’s life was cut far too short, we can still find some consolation in the fact that Derek lived a life of authenticity, courage, integrity, and compassion: he died fully living, while so many of us just exist, barely living. He was my greatest model and inspiration for journeying as a Whole-Life Warrior.

I will always be the mother of Derek, even though he is gone from this world.

Derek, I love you for eternity and beyond.