Jahleel Anthony Deroux

Jahleel Anthony deRoux (or Jah-Jah as he was lovingly called) passed away Saturday, December 9, 2023, at his home in Brandywine, Maryland, surrounded by his loved ones after fighting osteosarcoma for over seven years. He was 14 years old. Selfless, bright, loving, curious, joyful, loyal, determined, strong and precocious, these are the beginnings of how we will always remember Jah-Jah. Jahleel was born on March 24, 2009, in Clinton, Maryland to Marquis and Tashida deRoux. Jahleel was the youngest of the three deRoux boys. Along with older brothers, Jabari and Jadon, they formed a trio of the most pleasant boys known to all. With the addition of younger sister, Adia, the four children shared a closeness you could see from afar. From a very young age, Jahleel was independent minded. He had his own ideas, his own opinions, and never gave in to adult pressures to make conversation with strangers or force emotion he didn’t feel. He stuck to his gut and could sometimes appear to be reserved. The welcome exception to this was when he was with his family and friends. Jahleel was a true friend, loved being around people - never shying away from a good time. When he was with his parents, siblings, cousins and friends, an entirely different side of Jahleel came out. He was boisterous, laughed like there was no tomorrow, and spoiled his sister and girl cousins. He was equal parts a “boy’s boy” and a “mama’s boy.” You could hear him calling Tashida every two minutes for one thing or another - or, to be honest, for no reason at all. We know he knew God because he knew the love of his mother. In July of 2016, when Jahleel was 7, he started complaining to his mother about having knee pain that would not go away. After a doctor’s visit, where Jah Jah was sent to Children’s Hospital for further testing, his first cancer diagnosis was made. This would be the beginning of a seven-year journey of Jahleel, his parents and siblings, battling osteosarcoma fiercely. While the cancer began in Jah Jah’s knee, it later spread to his hip, ribs, cervical spine and eventually, lungs. Jahleel had a slew of surgeries, endured years of countless chemotherapy and radiation therapy treatments, and spent more time in a hospital than one wants to imagine. Over the last seven years, there were few periods of time where Jah Jah was not fighting for his life. Jahleel had a knee replacement, partial hip replacement, was in a half body cast due to a fall, and experienced significant physical reactions to his medical treatments. Through it all, Jah-Jah was a warrior. Make no mistake, he hated every single second of the fight, but he refused to let the cancer win. This is what we mean when we say #Jahleelstrong. While Jah-Jah’s battle against osteosarcoma is the defining part of his life; it did not define him for he always maintained his sense of humor. He loved mocking his beloved father’s quixotic quest to become a social media influencer. He loved video games, which he often played with Jadon and definitely loved whooping his cousins Noah, Izzy, King, and Kaleb. He loved Japanese anime – especially My Hero Academia, Sonic the Hedgehog like many other teens (and his adult uncles), and YouTube. He liked watching Youtubers review restaurants, movies, games, you name it. And of course, Mr. Beast. More importantly, Jahleel knew God and he reflected that love. Jahleel loved deeply, loyally, and always thought of others before himself. At the depths of his illness, Jahleel never lost his personality trait. There are not enough nor sufficient words to describe the hole that has been left in our hearts now that he no longer has to fight anymore. Jahleel will be sadly missed by his mother, Tashida, his father, Marquis, older brothers, Jabari, Jadon, younger sister, Adia, grandfathers, Newton deRoux and Lloyd Evelyn, and a host of uncles, aunts, and cousins in Maryland, Jamaica, Barbados, and the United Kingdom. A funeral service in memory of Jahleel will be held on Wednesday, December 20th, at 11:00 a.m. at Waldorf SDA Church, 111245 Berry Rd, Waldorf, MD 20603. A repast will immediately follow the service.

Tributes

Jahleel Anthony Deroux

March 24, 2009 - December 9, 2023