This past week was quite the emotional one. Folks that have followed me through Social Media whether it's Twitter, YouTube, or Instagram would know how huge of a Power Rangers fan I am. Recently, Jason David Frank best known for his role as Tommy Oliver had passed away at the age of 49. What started out as a rumor on a late Saturday night became a reality I did not want to imagine. The very next morning, I looked up at my Instagram feed and saw Walter Jones posting an image of him along with his ranger co-stars including JDF. The R.I.P acronym as listed in the caption just left me speechless in terms of my reaction. It really caught me off guard in a way.
Growing up, Tommy was one of my favorite Power Rangers. Just to admire his fortitude and his ability to hold his own when times were tough was what solidified my appreciation of the character. When he debuted in the 5 part miniseries Green With Evil, this would mark the Power Rangers' first of many challenges they had to overcome. Before that, the core five would manage to plow through any creature Rita sends out to cause havoc in their city. The Green Ranger's introduction would be a turning point for the upstarting franchise. Throughout the saga, Tommy under Rita's possession would resort to infiltrating the Command Center, home of the Power Rangers' headquarters. He'd be destroying console boards and cutting off any communication with their mentor Zordon; It didn't help that the rangers would be unable to teleport as a result of the excessive wreckage scattered throughout their headquarters. For the next few episodes, Tommy and the rangers fought on and off again while figuring out ways to undermine the strength of the Green Ranger. In the end, they managed to do just that, and with the Sword of Darkness dispelled, the rangers would free Tommy from Rita's spell.
From this point forward, Tommy would align with the Power Rangers to defend the Earth from a revolving door of villains that have come and gone. There would be multiple occasions when he would be stripped away of his powers only for Zordon to transfer a bit of energy needed to morph into ranger form. Eventually, Tommy would acquire new powers as he became the White Ranger in seasons two and three, the Red Ranger in Zeo and Turbo, and the Black Ranger in Dino Thunder. He would continue to return in a series of one-off comebacks in the anniversary team up specials, the most recent being "Dimensions in Danger" to commemorate the franchise's 25th anniversary.
I was heartbroken by the news of his passing. While I never knew JDF personally, I've seen the occasional panels he would attend discussing about his experiences working on the show. Forty-nine is such a young age to die. I can't imagine what it must be for his family members and colleagues that have collaborated with him over the years. I watched Amy Jo Johnson's Instagram live feed and it was very touching knowing how close she was to him; She even performed a handful of songs to pay tribute to Jason. I don't get into much detail about my personal life but my father died in his 60s after a battle with lung cancer. Take it from me, I know what it's like to lose a loved one. Grief is not easy to overcome. The best thing to do is to cherish any memory or experience you may have of them. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends that have supported him throughout the years.
To quote Austin St. John, "Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger."
Thank you for the memories Jason David Frank. May you rest in peace.
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