How a family turned their son's tragic death into an online heirloom

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On July 3, 2020, Bradi Nathan received the call no parent wants: his son, Jack, passed away at the age of nineteen. The night before, Jack had been to a friend's birthday party and swallowed what he thought was a Percocet. The pill was mixed with Fentanyl and he never woke up.

Bradi Nathan

Before Jack passed away, he had started a business called Happy Jack, an online lifestyle brand and community designed for people struggling with illness. mental. Jack had periodic bouts of depression and painting became his therapy. Happy Jack featured the founder's designs on apparel, with a portion of proceeds going to mental health foundations. Within the first week of sale, Jack donated $1,000 to the Child Mind Institute.

Bradi chose to continue what Jack started to honor his legacy and continue his mission.

"He wanted to change the world," recalls Jack's mother. "He wanted to make this world a better place by speaking out and letting other kids know they weren't alone."

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The Mark of a Son as a Mother's Therapy

Bradi continues to use Jack's designs on new products and has since donated $60,000 to mental health foundations like Active Minds, Born This Way, Release Recovery and the American Cancer Society. The path to donation is not easy: sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, site management, customer service and fulfillment are all roles Bradi has held in his son's absence. /p>

"It's funny when someone tells me they contacted customer service," Bradi revealed, "because I am customer service."

Happy Jack is a family business welcoming expert advice and consultation throughout the organic growth of the brand. Bradi and Jack's father, David, would like to finally have a COO, secure funding, and build proper infrastructure. This would allow them to focus on sharing Jack's story personally.

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Heal by helping

With additional help from Jack's sister, Drew, the project has partnered with fraternities across the country to create fundraising events. Brand ambassadors on college campuses are recruited to help create mental health awareness. Happy Jack has also curated pop-up stores in spaces like WeWork and the Seaport District. These allow the family to meet and share stories with many people who are also struggling.

"It was never a question of whether or not I would continue Happy Jack," Bradi added. "It seemed like the obvious thing to do."

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