Jarrod Lars Nordland, a Philadelphia native who grew up in Doylestown, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, at home. He was 22.
Jarrod had recently moved into his own apartment in Chestnut Hill, where he and his family had lived before moving to Doylestown. He was an energetic young man who was working two jobs, one at a local restaurant and the other at a clothing store, while attending Montgomery County Community College as a sophomore. He had recently transferred from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was planning on attending Temple University next year, where he wanted to study business law.
Jarrod was a 2004 graduate of Central Bucks High School East, where he played on the varsity track and basketball teams. He was a popular young man with a wide circle of friends and a close relationship with a large extended family.
Sociable and easy-going, Jarrod livened up every gathering with a broad smile, a great sense of humor, and an uncanny talent for good-natured mimicry. "He was an equal opportunity friend to almost anyone," said his father, Craig. His mother, Lisa, recalled how a high school kid of Muslim background confided to Jarrod of his fears of discrimination after 9/11. Jarrod, much bigger at 6'4", told him, "Don't worry, I got your back." Jarrod himself wrote on his Facebook page, "I am not a judgmental person; I hang out with a variety of different people. My friends often ask me why I hang out with certain people and I respond by saying, 'because they interest me.' "
A great deal of tragedy has happened among his Doylestown friends in this past year, with five of them dying in car accidents or other mishaps, including Jarrod's own best friend, Meghan O'Riordan, who died Feb. 4th. Deeply saddened, he remained upbeat, later remarking, "The way I see it, the more things you experience growing up, the wiser and potentially more successful you can become."
Jarrod died too young to have accomplished all that he had hoped to, but to his friends and family he left an enduring mark. "I don't even need to say that you would have become great and successful, because you already have," wrote his friend Ryan Paradis, in an online tribute. "I think that if you significantly touch one person's life, then you have succeeded. You touched mine, and many more."
Jarrod is survived by his parents, Craig and Lisa Moran Nordland of Doylestown; his younger sisters, Kristen Nordland and Sarah Nordland of Doylestown; and his grandparents, John and Vivian Moran of Nazareth, Pa. He is also survived by 12 aunts and uncles and 26 first cousins, all of whom live in the area. "Jarrod always said that one of the things he loved best were what he called 'cousins parties' at Christmas and other special occasions when his extended family assembled," Lisa recalled.
Jarrod had recently moved into his own apartment in Chestnut Hill, where he and his family had lived before moving to Doylestown. He was an energetic young man who was working two jobs, one at a local restaurant and the other at a clothing store, while attending Montgomery County Community College as a sophomore. He had recently transferred from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was planning on attending Temple University next year, where he wanted to study business law.
Jarrod was a 2004 graduate of Central Bucks High School East, where he played on the varsity track and basketball teams. He was a popular young man with a wide circle of friends and a close relationship with a large extended family.
Sociable and easy-going, Jarrod livened up every gathering with a broad smile, a great sense of humor, and an uncanny talent for good-natured mimicry. "He was an equal opportunity friend to almost anyone," said his father, Craig. His mother, Lisa, recalled how a high school kid of Muslim background confided to Jarrod of his fears of discrimination after 9/11. Jarrod, much bigger at 6'4", told him, "Don't worry, I got your back." Jarrod himself wrote on his Facebook page, "I am not a judgmental person; I hang out with a variety of different people. My friends often ask me why I hang out with certain people and I respond by saying, 'because they interest me.' "
A great deal of tragedy has happened among his Doylestown friends in this past year, with five of them dying in car accidents or other mishaps, including Jarrod's own best friend, Meghan O'Riordan, who died Feb. 4th. Deeply saddened, he remained upbeat, later remarking, "The way I see it, the more things you experience growing up, the wiser and potentially more successful you can become."
Jarrod died too young to have accomplished all that he had hoped to, but to his friends and family he left an enduring mark. "I don't even need to say that you would have become great and successful, because you already have," wrote his friend Ryan Paradis, in an online tribute. "I think that if you significantly touch one person's life, then you have succeeded. You touched mine, and many more."
Jarrod is survived by his parents, Craig and Lisa Moran Nordland of Doylestown; his younger sisters, Kristen Nordland and Sarah Nordland of Doylestown; and his grandparents, John and Vivian Moran of Nazareth, Pa. He is also survived by 12 aunts and uncles and 26 first cousins, all of whom live in the area. "Jarrod always said that one of the things he loved best were what he called 'cousins parties' at Christmas and other special occasions when his extended family assembled," Lisa recalled.
Jarrod Lars Nordland, a Philadelphia native who grew up in Doylestown, died Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2007, at home. He was 22.
Jarrod had recently moved into his own apartment in Chestnut Hill, where he and his family had lived before moving to Doylestown. He was an energetic young man who was working two jobs, one at a local restaurant and the other at a clothing store, while attending Montgomery County Community College as a sophomore. He had recently transferred from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was planning on attending Temple University next year, where he wanted to study business law.
Jarrod was a 2004 graduate of Central Bucks High School East, where he played on the varsity track and basketball teams. He was a popular young man with a wide circle of friends and a close relationship with a large extended family.
Sociable and easy-going, Jarrod livened up every gathering with a broad smile, a great sense of humor, and an uncanny talent for good-natured mimicry. "He was an equal opportunity friend to almost anyone," said his father, Craig. His mother, Lisa, recalled how a high school kid of Muslim background confided to Jarrod of his fears of discrimination after 9/11. Jarrod, much bigger at 6'4", told him, "Don't worry, I got your back." Jarrod himself wrote on his Facebook page, "I am not a judgmental person; I hang out with a variety of different people. My friends often ask me why I hang out with certain people and I respond by saying, 'because they interest me.' "
A great deal of tragedy has happened among his Doylestown friends in this past year, with five of them dying in car accidents or other mishaps, including Jarrod's own best friend, Meghan O'Riordan, who died Feb. 4th. Deeply saddened, he remained upbeat, later remarking, "The way I see it, the more things you experience growing up, the wiser and potentially more successful you can become."
Jarrod died too young to have accomplished all that he had hoped to, but to his friends and family he left an enduring mark. "I don't even need to say that you would have become great and successful, because you already have," wrote his friend Ryan Paradis, in an online tribute. "I think that if you significantly touch one person's life, then you have succeeded. You touched mine, and many more."
Jarrod is survived by his parents, Craig and Lisa Moran Nordland of Doylestown; his younger sisters, Kristen Nordland and Sarah Nordland of Doylestown; and his grandparents, John and Vivian Moran of Nazareth, Pa. He is also survived by 12 aunts and uncles and 26 first cousins, all of whom live in the area. "Jarrod always said that one of the things he loved best were what he called 'cousins parties' at Christmas and other special occasions when his extended family assembled," Lisa recalled.
Jarrod had recently moved into his own apartment in Chestnut Hill, where he and his family had lived before moving to Doylestown. He was an energetic young man who was working two jobs, one at a local restaurant and the other at a clothing store, while attending Montgomery County Community College as a sophomore. He had recently transferred from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and was planning on attending Temple University next year, where he wanted to study business law.
Jarrod was a 2004 graduate of Central Bucks High School East, where he played on the varsity track and basketball teams. He was a popular young man with a wide circle of friends and a close relationship with a large extended family.
Sociable and easy-going, Jarrod livened up every gathering with a broad smile, a great sense of humor, and an uncanny talent for good-natured mimicry. "He was an equal opportunity friend to almost anyone," said his father, Craig. His mother, Lisa, recalled how a high school kid of Muslim background confided to Jarrod of his fears of discrimination after 9/11. Jarrod, much bigger at 6'4", told him, "Don't worry, I got your back." Jarrod himself wrote on his Facebook page, "I am not a judgmental person; I hang out with a variety of different people. My friends often ask me why I hang out with certain people and I respond by saying, 'because they interest me.' "
A great deal of tragedy has happened among his Doylestown friends in this past year, with five of them dying in car accidents or other mishaps, including Jarrod's own best friend, Meghan O'Riordan, who died Feb. 4th. Deeply saddened, he remained upbeat, later remarking, "The way I see it, the more things you experience growing up, the wiser and potentially more successful you can become."
Jarrod died too young to have accomplished all that he had hoped to, but to his friends and family he left an enduring mark. "I don't even need to say that you would have become great and successful, because you already have," wrote his friend Ryan Paradis, in an online tribute. "I think that if you significantly touch one person's life, then you have succeeded. You touched mine, and many more."
Jarrod is survived by his parents, Craig and Lisa Moran Nordland of Doylestown; his younger sisters, Kristen Nordland and Sarah Nordland of Doylestown; and his grandparents, John and Vivian Moran of Nazareth, Pa. He is also survived by 12 aunts and uncles and 26 first cousins, all of whom live in the area. "Jarrod always said that one of the things he loved best were what he called 'cousins parties' at Christmas and other special occasions when his extended family assembled," Lisa recalled.
