Erick Jayson Neilson of Tallahassee, Cocoa Beach, and Gainesville, Florida, passed on November 06, 2021. Erick was born on January 18, 1975.

 Loving Obituary for Erick Jayson Neilson

We love you, Erick! Erick was a gifted academic, hard worker, and a nature and wildlife photographer who particularly loved birds and marine life. He
loved Nature and believed God was all around him when he experienced the beauty of nature like it was his church. He was Christian and believed that no matter how good or bad things get in life we should always be kind. Erick was so brave and kindhearted that he would give the shirt off his back to help another, all the way to the end. Our beloved and gifted Erick lived an accomplished life before the 2020 pandemic. His IQ was so high and his vocabulary so advanced even as a child that he was placed in a gifted children’s program, then placed in the gifted program at Sail High School, graduating with a High GPA, and he went on to excel and graduate from TCC and FSU, all while working as a communications officer at
TPD. After graduating from FSU, he worked for many years as an Executive Recruiter and then Sr. Account Manager at MRT all the way up until after the pandemic affected him and he lost everything he worked so hard for. He joked that it was like a country song where the guy loses his wife, his home, his job, his Jeep (or truck), and even his dogs because Erick still kept his sense of humor. Yet, Erick never stopped trying to lift himself back up or helping anyone he met along the way. That’s just how beautiful Erick's precious Soul is.  

What happened to Erick? 

Our beloved Erick passed away at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, with his mother, Aleta, by his side there trying to donate a kidney and part of her
liver to him, while comforting him with unconditional love. Unfortunately, Erick had been ill with PASC, Diabetes, Psoriatic Arthritis, and his kindness and illness had been taken advantage of and he was beaten and robbed several times before his death, and this time he had Sepsis, and then a large mass pressing on his colon was discovered and he was too weak to operate on as his organs had begun to fail and he still had sepsis. His mother hoped they could get him past the sepsis with antibiotics so she could donate her organs to him, so Erick and his mother did not give up hope while he still lived. Erick fought bravely for his life knowing his mom was by his side, but tragically he had too much stacked against his health this time and he passed away with internal bleeding and “multi-organ failure” before the sepsis could be cured. Erick went to heaven with his mom holding his hand in the same hospital where he was born and where his mother had previously worked as a nurse in their happier days. If love could have saved our precious Erick he would have lived forever. 

Erick is survived by his loving mother, Aleta Neilson (Next of Kin). Erick was sadly preceded in death by his beloved younger brother, Artist, Shaun
Michael Neilson Leonard (2003), who died whilst traveling to paint a mural in California. Erick Jayson Neilson is the first son of Aleta Neilson, (Mother
& Living Next of Kin) and the first grandchild of Dr. Thomas L. Neilson Ph.D. J.D. (Deceased 2013).  

Family and Friends

 Besides his beloved mother Aleta (next-of-kin), Erick is survived by his Aunt Dyane, Uncle T.W. Neilson, and Aunt Jill, and his cousins, dearest Summer Joy Neilson Holland and her husband Ian, Autumn Brooke Neilson, Noah Neilson, and Mia Perez; and cousins Josh, Rebecca,
Janet, Heidi, of Florida, and cousin Jennifer Davis (daughter of his mother’s cousin Sherry, and granddaughter of Great Aunt Margaret, and her extended family out west. He is also survived by his beautiful step-grandmother Rabia Ardan Yurdakul (previously Neilson), who loved his mom and adored Erick from the time he was a baby. 

Erick is also survived by dear friends, many of which he has had since his early youth, such as Justin, April, Wendy, Melanie, Matt, Chris, Sunshine, Nici, Dawn, Shana, Tracy-Ann, Tai & Mark, Mike, Angela, Todd, and many more. Surviving friends also include his ex-wife Christine and their doggies, his newer friend Steve, a homeless mystery man in a wheelchair (he worried about before he died), and of course all his co-workers of many years of working at MRT. 

 Erick was preceded in death by his father and aforementioned grandfather Captain T.L. Neilson Ph.D., JD, USN, and his nature and bird-loving grandmother, Viola L, Neilson R.N. USA, both World War II Veterans. Besides Erick’s brother Shaun, Erick was also preceded in death by his cousins, Kirk, Caroline, Joe-Blake, his Uncle Charlie, and his cousin Rebecca’s husband; the latter two dying of Covid-19, (which Erick was also exposed to but initially survived dying then, albeit sadly only to get post-COVID syndrome from it). 

 Before Erick Crossed the Veil

 Before Erick passed, he was so glad he got a chance to remind his Mom how much he loved her and talk about all the happy memories of fun times in their youth, including riding to the beach with the T-Tops off over the St. George Island Bridge and the feeling of freedom they had, along with surfing, bike-riding, skateboarding, kayaking, going out in nature; or just staying cozy at home with mom’s homemade cooking and studying or having friends over to watch movies or MTV. Most of all Erick remembered the good times of how cheerful and loving our home surrounded by Azaleas was and how friends were always welcome with open arms by his mom and him and his brother, Shaun, and their foster brother, John. He also enjoyed remembering about visiting his beloved grandparents in Killearn and getting to play with Rocky and Boots (family pets), or just playing in the pool with Grandpa’s Juke Box playing, and the fun family gatherings where we got to see his cousins. He also got a chance to give his Mom messages for his dear cousins and close friends. As he looked back on his life he remembered mostly joy, though he acknowledged that since the 2020 pandemic hit, he had some of the most heartbreaking and hardest times of his life. He had experienced some nightmares at the hospital before his Mom arrived at the hospital to try to save and comfort him, and he was able to be comforted and reassured by her but some of the dreams and nightmares he did not get a chance to tell her yet. Of course, his Mom was hoping he could survive and had faith that if he could be saved, he would have a fresh start and his whole life ahead of him. They even talked about him going back to graduate university as his Mom did. They had not given up hope. Erick was so loved and he still so loved though his Spirit is still alive like his brother’s spirit is and they are in heavenly peace now. If you love Erick too, you may just have another guardian angel-type spirit watching out for you if he can. When you think of brave, fun, bright, and kindhearted Erick, please remember him for the good!  

RE Funeral: Celebrations of Erick’s Life

Due to the pandemic, for your safety, a funeral will not be held indoors at the funeral home but both online and outdoor celebrations of Erick’s life are being planned by his Mom and friends for December. If you know Erick and would like to be invited or you would like to offer condolences please contact his next-of-kin, his mother at: Applefey.Neilson@yahoo.com  

If you would like to kindly gift or donate in Erick’s honor to help out in lieu of flowers, please contact his next of kin, his mother, or donate via Zelle to Aleta.Neilson1@fiu.edu or to Mermaidseas Dolphin Defense League International via: paypal.me/mermaidseas 

Thank you for your positive prayers for Erick and his family and friends to help them through this traumatic loss of our beloved Erick.