Jess Steven Crandall’s heart was as big as he was tall. At 6-foot-2, Jesse, as his loved ones called him, was a natural born helper because he cared so deeply about people. Even when it came to something seemingly insignificant as finding little lost things around the house.
“I could be searching for something small, like an earring, for hours,” said his mother, Donna Szczurek. “I’d call Jesse and he would find it right away. I don’t know how he did it. I miss that.”
Of course, that’s not the only thing she misses since he was tragically killed on July 25, 2020, in Kensington.
“We would talk several times a day. He wasn’t just my son. He was my best friend and that’s what makes this so difficult.”
She added that this tragedy is also hard on Jess’s younger brother, Stas. “Jesse made a point of letting his brother know that he was proud of him. His brother, who is almost three years younger, still finds it painful to talk about it.”
“Jesse” is a name that means wealth, but this had nothing to do with material things; instead, it had everything to do with his open heart.
While he was born in Philadelphia’s Chestnut Hill Hospital on Nov. 23, 1993, many knew this young man who grew up in Bucks County because of his generosity and open heart toward others.
“Jess was a very respectful, big-hearted, handsome guy who was always kind to the less fortunate,” Donna said.
His father died from a heart attack when he was just a toddler; so, one strong male influence in his life came from his stepfather, Stanley Szczurek. Stanley spoke of his stepson with great regard, “I’ve known him since he was 2. One thing I noticed was that he had a soft spot for everybody.”
Jess grew up Catholic and attended Lansdale Catholic Vocational School for a while, so those beliefs were part of his foundation. His mother mentioned that a priest who knew him for many years said that Jess was a dedicated student who always wore a smirk.
“Jesse was funny. When something made him happy, I often heard him say, ‘That’s what’s up!’ That made me smile too,” Donna said.
But the funniest thing about him was that he was scared of bugs. “My son was 6-2,” said his mom. “He loved animals but he didn’t like bugs of any kind. Oddly enough, he liked horror movies.”
He graduated from Central Bucks South as part of the class of 2012.
“In high school, he was the pretty boy. I guess that’s not surprising since he had such pretty hair when he was a baby,” his mother Donna said. “He was the likable guy with a sense of humor.”
Jess was a good student whose main goal was to make his mother and his step-father proud. This young man was serious and focused when it came to his studies and playing ice hockey. In fact, he had the medals and trophies to prove it. One of his proudest achievements was when he made captain of the hockey team because he was so good at that too.
“I loved watching him skate,” his step-father said, “Jesse liked all sports but his favorite was hockey. Even when he played street hockey with his brother, he was good.”
Another one of his accomplishments was when he received his certificate from OSHA. That certification got him his job as an Environmental Specialist at Morristown Hospital in New Jersey, where he had recently moved. He was just as dedicated when he worked the night shift, checking to make sure the hospital rooms were up to code before patients were admitted.
“He was a very hard worker,” Donna said, “he was organized and detailed.”
Another influential man in Jesse’s life was his uncle, Eric Crandall. “We connected on many levels. We had the same sense of humor. We watched the UFC fights together.” Eric said. “He was a sweetheart of a kid but he struggled. He missed his early 20s because of some rough times, so I tried to be there for him. Helping him stay positive and giving him encouragement.”
His uncle was referring to Jess’s bouts with substance abuse. Difficult events, like the death of his grandmother, took him on a downward spiral. However, Jess was a fighter, driven to do better and even on his road to recovery. Even in rehab, he still looked out for others.
“When he saw another young man who didn’t have anything except what he was wearing, Jesse asked me to go through his things and bring some for that person,” Donna said. “No matter what was going on with him, my son always looked out for someone else.”
He gave everything he did a valiant effort and regardless of his struggles, he was intent on doing something with his life. In June of 2020, he told his mother he was going back to school that September.
That plan was disrupted the day he was killed. He was with his mother earlier in the day but that evening when he was driving, Jess was in a car crash at Allegheny Avenue and Jasper Street. Jess was presumably caught in a crossfire as the result of a possible robbery. However, there were problems with the investigation because of the car crash. Neither the first responders or police realized that he had been shot until later.
No arrests have been made in this case and his mother, Donna remains in constant communication with the detectives to make sure the investigation continues.
Jess is survived by his mother Donna, his step-father Stanley, his brother Stas, and other family and friends. This tragedy took place during Covid so due to the restrictions, a private service took place in their home.
A special Celebration of Life was held on Sunday May 21, 2023 in Meyer Way Park in Jamison. A bench was dedicated in his honor. This park is special because it has a rink where Jess and his brother often played hockey.
Jess’s mother Donna is planning a clothing drive called, Jess’s Warming Heart to honor his memory.
