YouCanRelyOnMe

My mom introduced my family to you back in 2004 after seeing you on an episode of The Ellen Show and we all became hooked on your music immediately. My mom, dad, sister, and I have remained huge fans throughout the years and we have always jumped at any opportunity to see you perform live in concert. All of your albums have become a household staple and a soundtrack for much of the beauty we have witnessed over the last decade.

Four years ago, my sweet mother was diagnosed with younger-onset Alzheimer’s Disease (at age 56) and she has quickly deteriorated into a shell of her former self. One thing that has remained unchanged is her love for Jason Mraz. While she was still living at home with my dad, she would often become agitated, scared and angry because of this disease. My dad eventually figured out the secret to bring her back down to earth--your music. All he would have to do was play a few of your songs from his iPod and she would instantly relax, smile, and sing along to every word. He also kept a couple of recordings of your live shows on his DVR to play for her as a wonderful distraction.

As the disease progressed, we made the difficult decision to move her into a dementia care facility. One of the last things my parents did on her last morning in our home was watch your “VH1 Storytellers” special. As you started singing “Lucky,” my mom put her head on my dad’s shoulder and started to silently cry. While we don’t believe she had any clue as to what was happening that day, something in the song tugged at her heart and helped her live in the moment with my dad, one last time. Now that she is living in the care facility, the staff regularly plays CDs of yours for the residents. She can always be seen tapping her foot and singing along; the lyrics somehow still remain while everything else in her brain continues to fade away. Your music has always been the one thing we can count on to calm her down and ground her, even in her worst moments.

For my sister, dad and myself, we also rely on your music in many ways. The lyrics always somehow ring true to our situation and can help us through our hardest days. Your music has always been so closely intertwined with happy memories and has become an integral part of our lives. Newly released songs are almost always instantly relatable and immediately feel like old classics in our hearts. I feel such a deep emotional connection to so many of your songs, and I just want you to know how much of an impact you have had on our lives. In your intro to one of the songs on “VH1 Storytellers,” you said, “Song has always been my best friend in a time of need.” Your music has absolutely been one of our dearest friends in our greatest time of need. Thank you.

My question for you is this: If you found out that you were going to lose your memories, what would you lean on to bring you back to reality? (What would your “constant” be, so to speak?)

Thank you so much for your response! It truly means the world to be able to share our story with you. :)