Carsyn Johnathan Lasko was born on November 1, 2006, at St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg. He showed his spunk early, refusing to turn to the typical, head down presentation prior to his birth, and by tying a knot in his umbilical cord. Thankfully, Carsyn was born healthy, and his mother, Ashley found herself frequently marvelling that this perfect, beautiful, baby boy was hers.

Carsyn spent his first years in Winnipeg and when he was 5, Ashley and Carsyn moved to the Brokenhead area of Manitoba, just outside of Beausejour. He attended Beausejour Early Years School and then Ecole Edward Schreyer School (EESS). School was not Carsyn’s true love. He was gifted with challenges that made concentrating and focussing harder for him. But his winning personality meant that teachers often had a soft spot for him. Carsyn is likely the only student in EESS history to hand in an English assignment, a full two years after it was due, but yet he still managed to graduate with extra credits. Carsyn was such a special person.

Carsyn loved Scooby Doo (demanding that his mother find him Scooby Halloween costumes for 4 consecutive years). It broke his heart when he realized he had grown too big to be Scooby anymore. He loved the movie Cars and as a little tyke believed it was “his” movie, written and made “just” for him. Even as a 19 year old Carsyn loved to play Dungeons & Dragons, collect and battle with his Beyblades, and enjoyed all things Pokémon and Bakugan. He also loved to have nerf gun fights, paintball gun wars, playing manhunt in his huge backyard, and gaming with his friends.

Carsyn loved to swim and is likely the only Brokenhead River record holder for swimming from Mile Road 70 to the bridge that crosses highway 44, snorkelling all the way searching for “treasure”. (Carsyn, you are our treasure.)

Carsyn held three things closest to his heart: his mother Ashley, his dogs, and his friends. Ashley and Carsyn had a truly special bond. It was them against the world, and as a result, they had a unique friendship, an inseparable bond, and a love that only a few mothers and sons ever get to experience. Carsyn was a typical teenager with a messy room & not always doing his chores on time, and as a result there was battles and challenges. Yet, Ashley and he found mutual ground, and mutual respect, and were each other’s greatest cheerleaders and fans.

To say Carsyn was an animal person, is like saying the ocean has a bit of water. It doesn’t begin to capture the depth of his heart. He always had a deep love for all animals, especially his beloved cat, Mr. Boots. Carsyn LOVED all dogs, but especially his bulldogs. He grew up to licks, cuddles, and play fights with Brutus, Frankie, Georgie, Scarlett, Mavis, Wally, and Miss Gigi. When his truly special dog Scarlett died, Mavis and Wally helped Carsyn recover from that loss. Yet, it was Miss Gigi who was his most special friend. She was his world.

Carsyn cared deeply for the people in his life and cherished every connection he made. His friends are like the brothers he never had; Quinn, Tayvian, Jake, Kyan, Drew, Colby, Adam, Tristan, and oh so many more. It is a rare teenage boy, that can admit to himself how much his friends mean to him, but Carsyn could. He had an incredible instinct for knowing when his friends needed him. More than once, he would ask his mother, “I need you to drive me to check on….” Because Carsyn simply couldn’t ignore the feeling that one of his friends needed support. No matter the distance, Carsyn showed up for the people he loved, offering loyalty, compassion, and a listening ear. He was the kind of person who made others feel safe, valued, and never alone. Carsyn’s kindness, unwavering loyalty, and genuine compassion left a lasting mark on everyone who was fortunate enough to have known him.

Ashley describes Carsyn as an “old man in a young man’s body”. From a young age, he had a deep curiosity and fascination with tanks, history, wars, government, and the world around him. Carsyn loved watching documentaries and discussing everything he had learned; always eager to share his thoughts and opinions. Carsyn’s interests were always focused on the “little guy”, the country or people who were being overlooked or harmed. His compassion, empathy, and huge heart were evident even as a teenager. So, it was a natural fit for Carsyn to join the Canadian Armed Forces, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders at 17 years old while at the same time completing all his grade 12 courses to graduate high school. This is how the sweetest, kindest, most gentle young man learned the skills needed by the Canadian Army. The experience challenged him, toughened him, and strengthened him in every way; which helped Carsyn to grow into the remarkable young man he became. Ashley was so very proud of Carsyn because despite all the challenges that no child should have to face, Carsyn did not let any of it detour him from always remaining positive and determined to accomplish his goals he set for himself.

Yet, despite his courage, after 2.5 years in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserves Carsyn realized that he was not meant for taking life, even under orders. He then made the difficult decision to choose a different path-one that better reflected his kindness and the person he wanted to be. After being released from the army, Carsyn started working at the local Co-op Grocery store, where he started in the deli department and then moved to the produce department. This was a natural fit for him as well because Carsyn loved talking with his customers and took pride in making their day a little brighter. Whether sharing a laugh, striking up a conversation, or simply offering a smile, he made people feel welcome. This was never because Carsyn wasn’t working hard; it was because he genuinely cared. In addition to working part time at Co-op, Carsyn had also just started a second job working alongside Austin, excited to learn the skills needed in the world of renovation and repair. Carsyn was so proud to be the hardworking young man that he was, to be contributing, and to be creating a future for himself.

Carsyn’s loyalty to his friends was unmatched and he was the kind of friend who celebrated others without hesitation. Admittedly Carsyn did skip work on June 23, so he could be there to cheer on his dear friends who were graduating from Ecole Edward Schreyer School. Despite Carsyn feeling guilty for skipping work, his reasoning was simple, “I attended last year to support my friends Tayvian, Tristan, and Carter. How could I not be there this year for Colby, Jake, Logan, and Adam?” That was just who Carsyn was. He believed in showing up-for milestones, for difficult days, and for the everyday moments that mattered most.

Like any young man, Carsyn dreamed of the future. Carsyn wanted to get his license, to buy a car, to work at the Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, to go travelling with his mom, to fall in love, to get married, to buy a house, and to become a father one day. One of his sweetest dreams was to buy a boat so he could take his mom out fishing, even though fishing was her favourite hobby, not his. Yes, Carsyn would have loved eating the fish his mom caught, but the real reason behind this dream of Carsyn’s was simply the two of them hanging out together, having fun, and making more wonderful memories together. Carsyn continually loved teasing his mom about the nursing home he was going to put her in, when she got old – a playful reminder of the special bond they shared and the laughter that filled their relationship.

Tragically those dreams will not come to fruition through Carsyn. Instead, they will continue through the lives of those he loved, those who loved him, and everyone else fortunate enough to have known Carsyn. Although Carsyn’s time with us was far too short, the love he gave us so freely continues to live on through all of us. His kindness, compassion, loyalty, and gentle spirit left an imprint that will never fade. Carsyn’s story is not only one of dreams left unfinished, but of a life that changed countless others simply by the way he loved.

To the young people who love Carsyn, you will be forever changed. Losing a friend who was only 19 leaves a mark on your heart that never disappears. Please honour Carsyn by turning your pain into love and reframe the situation to remember we are so lucky to have known the big, goofy, kind, man-child that was Carsyn Lasko. Live your life, love, dream, and in everything you do, carry a little piece of Carsyn with you. Tuck him safely into your heart and let him share the journey with you. Because Carsyn would want to be a part of your joy, your laughter, and your future. Carsyn would be devastated if he thought his death would mean that everyone who loved him best stop living. So we honour him with our breath-in and out. In and out. Then we reach forward, carrying his love with us. Reach out to the person grieving beside you. Take their hand and say, “just breathe. In and out. No more, no less. Just breathe.”

In Carsyn’s honour, please be kind to everyone you encounter, especially the people who deserve it least. Please hug someone, please tell someone you love them, and please keep breathing because that is what Carsyn would have wanted us to do. He would be absolutely heartbroken for his life to be distilled down to the events of June 25 at 3:30 PM. Instead, all thoughts of Carsyn Lasko should include joy, laughter, and gratitude that the universe made such a wonderful young man, and gifted him to Ashley Lasko, even though their time together was too brief.

Let Carsyn’s legacy be his love, his kindness, and his gratitude for every moment of the life he lived. And to everyone who loved Carsyn, please remember to always carry him with you. Live fully and love deeply. Celebrate life’s moments, both big and small. Let his memory remind you to check on your friends, stand beside those who need you, and never miss an opportunity to tell the people you love how much they mean to you. There is no greater way to honour Carsyn than by living with the same generous heart, he shared with the world.

If you are moved, please consider donating to the GoFundMe page that Carsyn’s dear friend Tayvian set up. The contributions will be going towards getting a memorial bench in Carsyn’s honour (to be put in Carsyn’s hometown of Beausejour) and the remaining contributions will all be going to the Carsyn Lasko Memorial Bursary that is being set up in his honour through the Brokenhead Recreation Commission.

Ashley would like to extend special thanks to the Beausejour Brokenhead Volunteer Fire Department, to the Province of Manitoba Paramedics, and to Jason from Bird’s Hill Towing. She would especially like to thank Tony, one of Carsyn’s bosses at Co-op, and Terri, his co-worker in the produce department.

A private service is being held to support his mother, his friends, and his family. If you would like to let Ashley know that you want to attend Carsyn’s Celebration Of Life, please e-mail cquinton73@shaw.ca and put “Carsyn” in the subject line.