jacob MADISON Beck jaffurs

09 January 1987 - 11 March 2011

Jacob Beck Jaffurs was a fit, vibrant, intelligent and compassionate young man who was in his final year of medical school at the University of Auckland when he died in a free-diving accident.  

Although he did not think of himself as a life changer, Jacob had a profound effect on those he met. He brought a rare balance of serenity and intense joy to the pressures and pace of a hectic world.  He was passionate about medicine, and he relished learning how to make sick and injured people well. Jacob's striking quality was a unique pragmatic altruism, which left every room brighter for his presence.

Born in North Carolina, USA, Jacob moved with his family to Whangarei NZ as a ten year old. His dad, Chip, is an emergency doctor and his mother, Barbara, a lawyer. Jacob grew up surrounded by people who encouraged and inspired him to excel.   He lived life with big energy, and his drive for excellence went hand in hand with enjoying everything he did to the fullest. 

He was a waterman who honed his surfing skills at the Raglan surf academy and competed nationally.  Later, he became an avid free diver, exploring New Zealand’s coastline to spear fish or simply to watch the majesty of the depths play out before him.  A keen athlete, he played soccer and volleyball competitively, and was training as a boxer.  He loved to snowboard, to climb mountains, sail, explore remote destinations and generally participate in any playful activity or wilderness adventure that would get him into the open air.

After his third year in medical school, Jacob took a year out from his studies to work, travel and surf on every windswept beach he could find in Central America.

Jacob managed to achieve everything he put his mind to, whether it involved the discipline of sporting competition, or locking himself in the library for weeks at a time to study for exams, the worst kind of torture for an active young man so in love with the outdoors.

As a man blessed with opportunity, Jacob saw the disparities in opportunities available to other students.  Unselfish and empathetic, Jacob looked at his classmates from poor rural high schools and reflected on the different trajectories he had followed from many of those peers.  Never one to look at a problem without seeking a solution, Jacob, in his 4th year of medical school, and his lifelong friend, lawyer Michael Forster, founded the Professional Pathways Trust.  Jacob spent every hour between hospital commitments and surf breaks working to develop this charity into what became at that time one of the largest not-for-profit mentoring services in New Zealand high schools.

Professional Pathways was established to provide mentoring to students from low decile high schools, introducing them to professional careers such as medicine, law and engineering. Young professionals were recruited to volunteer to give friendly, empathetic advice and mentor students who might not otherwise have a connection with the professional world. Jacob believed that exposure and encouragement can make a profound difference in the lives of young people and he wanted to see some of these students expand their dreams and achieve greater things than they had believed themselves capable of.

When meeting with high school students, Jacob had them spellbound.  They were mesmerised by this energetic guy who was able to conclusively demonstrate that you could look like you just left the beach and be a doctor. He would sit and listen, quietly acknowledging their fears and feelings of inadequacy while boosting their confidence by working through actual medical school exam papers and proving that common sense, commitment and a keenness to learn are the only tools required to survive medical school.

The years we knew Jake were too short, but the impact he made on our lives and on the lives of others, will last forever. He was an athlete, a doctor, a professional and a loyal friend. The Jacob we knew was selfless and modest, quietly going about the business of bettering himself and supporting others without seeking recognition. He walked through life with a perpetual grin on his face, forever chuffed with the simplest things, like a sunny lunch break in the Auckland Domain or an uncrowded beach. The high expectations he demanded of himself inspired everyone around him.  Jacob lived with joy, dignity, passion and grace.  He died doing something he loved.  He graduated posthumously with his medical school class of 2011. Jacob was just 24 years old.

We will miss him forever.