Jawan K. Bert

Jawan was born to Calvin and Elizabeth Griffin Bert in Austin, TX on August 6, 1997.

Jawan was surrounded by supernatural love, accompanied by a level of family devotion and care that allowed him to live an exemplary life that inspires all of those who knew him.

At the age of six, Jawan was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). His diagnosis altered the course of his life, but it did not diminish the richness of his spirit, the sharpness of his intellect, or the vividness of his imagination. While illness is a part of his life’s journey, those who knew him and loved him saw him grow into a fully evolved, mature, whole man.

Jawan’s devoted and doting parents, Calvin and Elizabeth, are long-time tech industry professionals who constructed their careers and lives to ensure Jawan received state-of-the art medical care while still enjoying a life full of love and joy. They succeeded.

In fact, Jawan’s home base was literally at the epicenter of their family home. There, Calvin would give Jawan haircuts with the care and precision of a master surgeon. Elizabeth would plan family vacations around their frequent trips to Scottish Rite Pediatric Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Dallas, UT-Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and Dell’s Children Hospital in Austin. Calvin and Elizabeth were model parents and earned the well-placed trust Jawan had in them.

Jawan’s older brother, Jamal, embodied selfless and sacrificial love. He made his life’s mission to be his brother’s keeper, and he will carry that life-affirming capacity for compassion and care-giving with him all the days of his life.

Jawan’s impact was not just felt by his family. At every stage of the journey, Jawan participated in experimental therapies and research that are now being used to enhance the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of children with Muscular Dystrophy.

Jawan was a technology enthusiast and an early adopter of robotics and artificial intelligence. His mastery of these early stage technologies allowed him to attend school in person, type long essays, and excel in the standardized testing that enabled him to become a distinguished honors graduate from Hendrickson High School. He was accepted into nearly a dozen colleges. Much of the data from the adaptive technologies he used, for the past twenty years, powers the mainstream adoption of AI today.

Jawan was blessed with the temperament of an old soul, yet he still enjoyed an idyllic childhood and the pleasures of young adulthood that most would recognize as the American Dream. The Nintendo Switch was his preferred gaming system. He especially enjoyed beating his online adversaries in Super Smash Bros. Jawan was a fierce competitor.

Jawan was happiest when he was around his cousins, having sleepovers, celebrating birthdays, playing video games, going to water parks or just hanging and laughing. Jawan had a sharp, dry sense of humor with impeccable timing.

Jawan was an avid reader, whether it was current events on Reddit or the Percy Jackson Series of novels. Jawan also loved any tale that revolved around the hero’s journey, including stories from a multiple of genres and mediums such as film, Japanese animation as well as visual novels. He is a big fan of Game of Thrones and the anime series known as “Hunter X Hunter. His favorite movies are Interstellar, The Hunger Games, and the classic, Incredibles. These films enlivened his imagination and through the Make-A-Wish Foundation he and his family were able to visit the locations frequently featured in the Hollywood movies that he loved. He went on a private tour of Natural Habitat Animal Tour Preserves, visited the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, and was prayed over in a Native Aboriginal Spiritual Blessing Ceremony.

Jawan was a Texan through and through and a rabid sports fan. He rooted for the Texas Longhorns, the Oklahoma Thunder Dynamic Duo era with Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and the Houston Rockets, but his favorite NBA team was the Boston Celtics. Jawan first became a Celtics fan during the Big 3 Era when Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce were the stars of the team. Although he did not readily admit it, to those who close to him it was apparent he continued to follow the Celtics long after the trio had retired. He also loved watching the Olympic Games, whether it was during the summer or winter, it did not matter. He was intrigued by seeing the best competitors in the world compete in their chosen profession regardless of nationality. Most importantly, he took pride in the accomplishment of his cousins and family members. He was a champion of others.

Jawan was the chief executive of his own affairs. He exercised agency and dominion over his medical decisions, vetted and adjudicated his financial matters, chose the family vacation spots (Maui was among his top destinations) and expressed his wishes . He was a beacon of light. He was a leader, he kept us all grounded, centered, and on track to be better humans and the best version of ourselves. That mission continues.

Jawan is survived by a praying mother, Elizabeth Griffin Bert of Austin, TX and a devoted father, Calvin T. Bert II of Pflugerville, TX; a steadfast brother, Jamal Bert (Pflugerville, Texas); a loving grandmother, Beverly Bert (White Plains, New York); grandfather, Rodney Griffin and wife Jan Griffin (Missouri City, Texas); Uncle William Griffin and Aunt Christine Griffin (Round Rock, Texas); Uncle Derrick Bert and Aunt Sherina Bert (White Plains, New York); Uncle Dwayne Bert (White Plains, New York); Aunt Dawn Bert (Newport, Virginia); and host of cherished cousins and friends. He is predeceased by a dear Grandmother Patricia Griffin (Austin. Texas) and Grandfather, Calvin Twedell Bert (White Plains, NY).

A memorial visitation for Jawan will be held Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 6:00 PM at Weed Corley Fish Parkcrest, 5416 Parkcrest Drive, Austin, Texas 78731.

In loving memory of Jawan, the family kindly requests donations be made to the Jawan Bert Fund at Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas. Your generosity will help grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses, bringing joy and hope during difficult times.