Thomas Hart Mason

At 34, Hart was an old soul and lived an inspiring purpose-filled life. For the last four years, his dog Hank rarely left his side. One of his closest friends with whom he was preparing to start a trucking business, said, “Hart is the only person I ever trusted. He never lied to me. He was always kind.”

Hart was born May 16, 1989, in Austin. A voracious reader, he learned and taught in equal measure. As a young child, Hart was full of laughter and naturally drew friends to him. He had a vivid imagination, delighting his parents by only answering to self-selected names on family trips (“Red Hot Lava” was a favorite). He drew countless pictures and wrote his own stories. At age 7, he dedicated his illustrated book on animals to his first grade teacher and took enormous pride in having it catalogued into the library at Highland Park Elementary.

He was an early champion of the underdog, the left out, the bullied. Hart exhibited deep emotional intelligence and always met people where they were.

A gifted athlete, Hart excelled at basketball and played lacrosse at McCallum High School. In recent years, he kayaked, rode dirt bikes, and lifted weights. He took week-long raft trips with his older sister Kate and friends in Utah, Colorado and Oregon — and he lived to tell the tale of dramatically leaping into the Green River seconds before their raft capsized in rapids.

As children, Hart and Kate played hard and teased each other as siblings do. As young adults, they regularly spent time together and talked by phone several days a week. In times of greatest challenge, Hart reached out to Kate first — and she immediately engaged her whole heart and mind to help. The evening before Hart died, they talked about exciting times ahead and said “I love you.” It is not surprising that Kate’s name is tattooed on his arm.

Hart mastered many things. He worked in hospitality, as an electrician, and arborist climbing 90-foot trees in his adopted home of Blue River, OR, which wildfires destroyed in 2020. He stayed for several weeks to help rebuild and perform animal rescue before moving back home to Austin. Hart could patiently assemble anything, build a deck, frame a window, put up drywall, and drive a boat or tractor. Most recently, he served as a caregiver to a man who is blind. He graduated from Austin Coding Academy last year and was excited to begin truck driving school and launch a cross-country driving business with his friend Evan this fall.

Hart also collected amazing experiences. He swam with dolphins in Hawaii, jumped off waterfalls in Arizona, and camped with his cousin Brazos in the Pacific Northwest. He panned for gold in Oregon with friends — and found gold nuggets! He rafted with his family in Costa Rica and marveled at poison dart frogs on the banks and toucans flying overhead. He knew what it was to fall in love.

Hart could make it all look easy, but it wasn’t. By age 16, he began to struggle with what would later be diagnosed as a mental illness. What followed were increasingly long stretches of good times punctuated by hospitalizations and medications that left him feeling emotionally flat and cut off from his real self.

Hart carried a huge burden with dignity, no bitterness, and unerring courage — and it made him only more aware of the suffering of others. He loved our extended family and told us often, and we returned that immense love in kind. He was a good and loyal friend to many. All who loved him should strive to live as Hart did: leading with kindness, expressing no judgment, and offering whatever is in our pockets to someone who needs it more.

Hart is survived by his parents, Tom Mason and Janis Monger of Austin; his sister Kate Mason of Denver; his grandmother, George Anne Monger; Aunt Dinah Monger; Uncle Ted and Aunt Vicki Mason; Aunt Joni Mason; and cousins Mandy (Jon) Calame, Brazos (Lauren) Mason, and Elliot Mason. Predeceasing him are his Uncle Cloud Mason; his grandfathers, Thomas Wilburn Mason and Gene Monger; and his grandmother, Betty Cloud Mason. Hart’s beloved dog Hank will forever miss his best friend.

A memorial and celebration of life will be held Saturday, August 26, at 2:30 PM at Weed Corley Fish Chapel, 5416 Parkcrest Dr, Austin, TX. It will be live-streamed. Please dress casually. Donations may be made to Hospice Austin where Hart volunteered, the Humane Society of Central Texas, or a charity of your choice.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.wcfishnorth.com for the Mason family.