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Jack Frye Panther Prowler • Feb. 12, 2021
As “The Beast”
A forever football fan, a motorcycle connoisseur and a bundle of energy, Jack Bennett was a force to be reckoned with. Jerry Bennet, his father, recalls Jack’s constant perseverance and determination. “Ever since he was little, he had an incredible amount of strength,” Jerry Bennett said. “He was 148 pounds of muscle, just pure muscle. He could push his way through anything. So all the hospitalizations and all the surgeries that he had throughout his life, he pushed right through them. He just was a beast.” For all his family and friends, that phrase would soon be synonymous to his name. “We just started calling him ‘The Beast,’” Kimberly Bennett, Jack’s mother, said. “He called himself ‘The Beast’ and he didn’t want to be called Jack. He said, ‘No, I’m not Jack. I’m ‘The Beast.’” Being on a motorcycle was one of Jack’s favorite pastimes, a passion he shared with his father his entire life. “He traveled around the country with me on my motorcycle for years,” Jerry Bennett said. “In his later years, once he was in the wheelchair, it was a lot of work for me but the smiles he had made the effort totally worth it.” The pair found themselves on a number of adventures across the country. “His last motorcycle trip was in early August of 2019,” Jerry Bennett said. “We did a 2000-mile motorcycle trip where we got caught in a hailstorm outside of Reno, but we found this really cool hot spring on Warm hugshugs Nicole Bennett, Jack’s older sister, spends their free the Clackamas River up in time together snuggling on the couch. Jack “The Beast” Bennett Oregon. We camped, and I Foundation/With Permission took him into the hot spring.” At the hotspring, Jack and his father bonded while trying therapy with hot rocks. “I was doing that old Indian therapy with hot rocks from the hot spring, laying them on his chest. And he just really dug that, that was a really cool thing,” Jerry Bennett said. Today, he holds that trip with Jack especially close to his heart, as it was their last and most eventful motorcycle trip. “It was his last time he was on the motorcycle, so I hold on to that memory a lot,” Jerry Bennett said. “That’s a big memory.” Jack’s memorial service was held Feb. 1, in which close family and friends spoke about his legacy. Brandon Bennett, his older brother, recounts his welcoming and kind spirit that brought people together wherever he went. “The most important thing that Jack collected, though, was people. Jack had magnetism to him that drew people in, in all walks of life,” he said. “When you feel limited by [what] is beyond our control, remember to be like Jack.” No matter what, Jack could Smiles- Jack and his mom, Kimberly Bennett, take a selfie do anything he set his mind to. Smiles during downtime at the hospital. Jack “The Beast” Bennett “He didn’t let his disease stop Foundation/With Permission him. You know, he never felt sorry for himself. He did everything he could do. He would not let other people help him. He didn’t want help. He wanted to do it on his own,” Jerry Bennett continued. Above all, nobody stayed as true to themselves as Jack. “Jack was like Jack everywhere,” Jerry Bennett said. “Loud and rambunctious and playful all the time… That’s how Jack was. He was just full of life and laughter...He was a pure soul.”
Remember
Jack “Th Bennet Adalia Luo DPS Editor Gwen Buchanan Backcover Editor Abby Gorman Editorial Editor Sarena Kabir News Editor
Beloved NPHS senior Jack “The Beast Bennett” Frye was a character. Always foun and passionate person anyone could know. He loved action figures, the Ninja Tur classmate, athlete and son, he peacefully passed after a long and brave battle against m by family and friends on the morning of Thursday, Jan. 28. The Newbury Park comm in the hearts of th
As a student Jack was a well-known student around school, making friends wherever he went. “He just loved school. He loved Newbury Park High School and he talked about it all the time,” Jerry Bennett said. “When Jack was a freshman and [Nicole Bennett, Jack’s older sister,] was a senior and he used to see her on campus, he’d tell her, ‘Go away, this is my school.’” Emily Neiyer, senior, was Jack’s friend and a fellow member of the Panther Pals program. “I don’t even think words can fully describe how much of an amazing and fun environment he created all on his own with his jokes and
contagious smile every meeting,” she said. “Jack just had his own unique way of winning over every room he was in. Everyone he met instantly loved him and his personality... He was the best listener, the biggest jokester and had the sweetest heart.” Jenny Finger, senior, was introduced to Jack by her sister Avery Finger, who had class with him. “My sister would come home from school every day and talk about Jack and she’d be so excited to go to school just to see Jack,” Jenny Finger said. Both in and outside of classes, Jack was a beloved member of the NPHS community. “Every time I saw him, everyone around him had a smile on their face. He could make anyone smile and everyone wanted to be around him Celebrating Jack Celebratingreturns to the classroom after his first hospital visit. Everyone greeted him with open arms and big smiles. “We wanted to welcome him back to school,” Alvarez said. Cindy Kendall/With Permission
