GILROY—Whether he was grappling on the Jiu-Jitsu mat or battling cancer, Jeremy Montes had the heart of a warrior.
And to honor and celebrate the man and his indomitable spirit, more than 60 Jiu-Jitsu fighters descended on the Gilroy Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu studio January 10 to remember their teammate and raise money for his final expenses during the “Roll 4 Jer” memorial seminar.
Montes, 20, was diagnosed in December 2012 with a rare form of leukemia—T-cell All—that affected his cerebral spinal fluid and central nervous system. Through in and outpatient treatment at Stanford, he initially battled the disease into remission. But May 2014 brought news the Montes family had feared: the leukemia was back.
Known to friends, family and fellow fighters as a man that never backed down from a fight, Montes continued his battle for two years until he succumbed to his cancer on Dec. 17.
“One can lose hope when things aren’t going to plan and that was certainly a possibility, (but) I believed until the end that Jer’s life purpose would be fulfilled whether that be him healed…or it was something else—I just had to accept it,” his father Jeremy Montes Sr. said.
Jeremy trained under the Claudio Franca style of Jiu-Jitsu, which has schools across the Bay Area. Though the Montes family are Santa Cruz residents, the Jiu-Jitsu family knows no boundaries, GBJJ co-owner Carlo Melo said.
“He was warrior; he never gave up the battle until the end,” Melo said. “We take care of our own and that’s what we’re doing…helping out our family members.”
During the memorial event, Jeremy Jr.’s gi, or Jiu-Jitsu clothing, was mounted in the corner of the room, symbolizing his presence and never-tap attitude, instructor Ed Solis said. Tapping during a match is a signal of submission to one’s opponent. Several of his teammates wore patches in his honor and displayed signs reminding them to “Live like Jer.”
Solis organized “Roll 4 Jer” before Jeremy Jr.’s death as a way to help with medical expenses. Jeremy Sr. hoped to raise $1,000 to offset his son’s final costs, but the Jiu-Jitsu community sent him home with $1,800, which he tearfully accepted.
“I love my kids to death, I’d do anything for them,” Solis said. “When you hear another parent and a young man like Jeremy suffering, I felt inclined to help anyway we can. What better way than to do what we all love?”
Jeremy Sr. and his son took up the sport together when Jeremy Jr. was 13. From the beginning, the younger Montes’ passion for Jiu-Jitsu was evident. His father said his proudest moment came when his son bested him on the mat.
“As a dad, you always want your son to be better than you,” Jeremy Sr. said. “I really enjoyed the first time he legitimately submitted me and wore me down…It was a great feeling to tap to your son.”
Off the mat, Jeremy Jr. was a sweet and respectful person, his dad said, adding his son poured his heart into everything he did. But as soon as “combate”—which means fight in Portuguese—was shouted to start a match, his warrior spirit emerged.
“As soon as combate came, you could just see him morph,” GBJJ co-owner John Villarruel said. “He had a true warrior’s spirit: you live by the sword or die by the sword. He had a lot of heart.”
Melo said, “He never gave up, never said this is going to beat me. He just kept going all the way until the last day. That’s how I remember him: a fierce young man.”
As a final sign of respect, Jeremy Jr.’s gi was donned with the sports’ highest achievement: a black belt. And although he competed in Jiu-Jitsu for just five years, his impact on the sport continues, those who knew him said.
Jeremy Jr. documented his battle with cancer through his “Tap out Leukemia” Facebook page, which has an international following. Jiu-Jitsu fans worldwide continue to leave words of support on the page.
“I believe that Jer…achieved more than most of us can ever expect to achieve in 80 years,” his father said. “(He lives on) by reaching out to thousands of people and inspiring courage and endurance and the will to never give up.”
To donate to Jeremy Montes’ memorial fund, visit gofundme.com/d8mpi8.
