Mason Joseph Thompson, 34

Mason Joseph Thompson
June 8, 1991 – February 28, 2026

Mason Joseph Thompson, dearly beloved son, brother, and partner, passed away unexpectedly February 28 at age 34 in Fort Collins, Colorado, surrounded by the people he loved. Mason’s sensitivity, thoughtfulness, and care for his loved ones were ever present, even amidst his 16-year struggle with post-traumatic epilepsy, which eventually ended his life. Mason was the son who called to ask about how Mom’s project turned out or how Dad’s meeting went. Mason was the brother who sent the perfect toy for his sister’s new puppy. Mason was the partner who asked his family to text his girlfriend when she was having a bad day.

His love and care extended to animals, especially the hurt and abused ones. He adopted a series of rescue dogs that no one else would take, and they thrived with Mason. His patience and persistence with those dogs seemed endless. Mason once rescued a kitten from a rain-flooded storm drain and found a home for her. He befriended the squirrels in a park behind the store where he worked, feeding them nuts from his hand. Mason was drawn intuitively to animals and they to him.

A few years ago, Mason started a garden. It was a grand and messy aOair, with a huge stand of hollyhocks, ever-spreading bee balm, a rambling rose bush, a few cacti, and a menagerie of other plants Mason found interesting. He was a collector, not just of plants, but of books and hats and anything else that engaged him. He had the mind of an adventurer. Mason was endlessly curious, always ready to drill down deeply into any given subject, and he loved to talk about it. He had a tremendous sense of irony and a unique vision of the injustices and absurdities of the world, which he could mock like a seasoned stand-up comedian and rant about like a talk radio host. Mason’s mind was like his garden, full of color and humming with life.

His eclectic sense of style was legend in his family. A tall guy at 6’3”, Mason could appear for a dinner out looking like a master of fashion in a blazer, skinny tie, and flat cap. He had a great collection of sports clothing that gave him the air of a professional athlete incognito. And then there were the quirky pieces: the silky shirt printed with giant orange mushrooms, the skinny plaid pants, the leather bomber hat, the bright red and green plaid Christmas sweater vest with T-rex appliques. He wore them all with his signature smile and a bit of swagger.

There was much joy in Mason’s life, but it was not an easy one, filled with the uncertainty of when another seizure would strike; the pain, injury, and illness following it; and the exhausting side eOects of multiple medications. He longed for a career where he could help people, especially troubled youth, but his medical challenges kept him chronically underemployed. He longed to travel, but the stress of travel logistics precipitated seizures whenever he tried it. Mason found ways to help others by volunteering, and he experienced travel exploring Fort Collins on his bike. His courage in facing epilepsy and the multiple constraints it placed on his life was inspiring.

In no act was Mason more himself than his decision to become an organ donor. His epilepsy kept him from driving, so he did not casually check the organ-donor box on a driver’s license application. The subject of organ donation caught his attention about a year ago. He researched it, talked with his family about it, and got himself to the appropriate oOice across town, probably on his bike, to sign up. It was characteristic of Mason to want to help others, even in death, and to be intentional and persistent in securing that goal. The night Mason passed, his kidneys saved the lives of two transplant patients. According to Donor Alliance, his corneas and tissues will help another 75-80 patients. Mason will live on in these people, as well as in the hearts of all of us who loved him.

Mason is survived by his partner, Destiny Watkins; his mother and stepfather, Jennifer Wolfe Webb and Davis Webb; his father, Reginald M. Thompson (Stephanie Ebers); his sister, Charley Thompson (Lauren Nelson); his stepsister, Audrey Webb Tougas (Cam Tougas); a nephew, and numerous loving aunts, uncles, and cousins. Mason’s family sends their immense gratitude to the medical team at UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital Intensive Care Unit for their skilled and deeply compassionate care.

Mason’s memorial service will be at noon Sunday, April 26 at the Everitt Pavillion at The Gardens on Spring Creek, 2145 Centre Avenue in Fort Collins. His family invites all who attend to honor Mason’s memory by wearing a favorite quirky hat if they wish. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

The Matthews House (https://www.thematthewshouse.org/); All Aboard Animal Rescue (https://aaanimalrescue.org/) or to your favorite charity.