lit a candle 26d agoRead this at my kitchen table this morning with my coffee going cold. Twenty two, loved to sing in the car, that's the line that got me. My own son is twenty two. Praying for his dad James tonight.
Their story
Jesse James Self was a twenty two year old man from Iowa whose death in September 2026 was announced through a funeral home obituary rather than through any public career or fame. He was not a public figure in the conventional sense of an actor, politician, or athlete, and there…
Jesse James Self was a twenty two year old man from Iowa whose death in September 2026 was announced through a funeral home obituary rather than through any public career or fame. He was not a public figure in the conventional sense of an actor, politician, or athlete, and there is no Wikipedia page or biography of him beyond the notice published by his family. This page exists because his name is now being searched, and it sets out plainly what is known and what is not.
According to the obituary published by Simplify Cremations and Funerals of Des Moines, Iowa, Jesse James Self was born on June 22, 2004, in Springfield, Illinois. He grew up between Beardstown, Illinois, and Chillicothe, Iowa, and he graduated from high school in Eddyville, Iowa. The notice describes a young man who found happiness in ordinary pleasures. He loved video games, especially with his nephew and his brother in law, he fished and worked on cars, and he liked to sing, whether in the car or at karaoke.
His family described him as someone who filled a short life with the people and activities that mattered to him. He was the son of Michelle Kay Bruley, who died before him, and James William Self. He was survived by his father, his siblings Mary Self Banda Mendez, Hannah Self, Jeremiah Self and Justin Mathis, several nephews and a niece, his grandparents, and two brothers in law, along with extended family and friends. He had also lost a nephew and close friend, Marion Mathis, before his own death.
Jesse James Self died on September 24, 2026, at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, surrounded by his family. No cause of death has been made public. The announcement came through his obituary rather than through news coverage, and no reports from news organizations about his death have been found. His family's tribute describes him as someone who will be remembered for the simple things that made him happy, and for the songs, laughter, and games that reminded them of him.
Because Jesse James Self was a private individual rather than a public figure, most of the information typically found on a memorial page, such as an occupation, marital status, or public achievements, has not been documented in any available source. This page will be updated if further verified information becomes available.
Biography adapted from News reports and the sources cited on this page; death reported by Legacy obituary.
same, my nephew is 22 too, this one hit different