Jared Hill with Maze

Jared — U.S. Navy Veteran | Brother | Friend | Legacy of Service

Jared was a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the Iraq War as a Seabee—boots on the ground, doing hard work in unforgiving places. Though often called “landlocked,” there was nothing limited about his service. He showed up where he was needed, alongside his brothers, carrying the weight that so many who serve know all too well.

When he returned home, the battle didn’t end.

Like many veterans, Jared faced the invisible wounds of war—PTSD, depression, and addiction. He fought those battles quietly, with the same grit he carried overseas. Through it all, he remained what he had always been at his core: a loyal friend, a man who cared deeply about others, and someone his family loved beyond words.

Service ran in his blood. Both of his parents served in the U.S. Army, and that legacy of commitment, sacrifice, and love of country shaped the man Jared became.

His passing came as a shock—one of those moments that reminds you how much people can carry beneath the surface.

I met Jared through Jay Garsteki, and from the start, I did my best to mentor him with what I knew. We shared time together at a Sparta Project event in Malibu, California—time that now carries even more weight. We were roommates for that stretch, and that’s where I met Maze.

Maze—his dog—had a way of connecting with people instantly. She took a liking to me right away, the kind of bond you don’t question, just respect. She was, and still is, one of the sweetest souls you’ll ever meet.

Today, Maze lives with me, Dan Jarvis, the founder of Healing the Hero.

And in a way, that connection still carries Jared forward.

I don’t own her—if anything, I serve her. I get to be her service human now. And every day, in the quiet moments, there’s a reminder of Jared… his struggle, his heart, and the impact he left on those who knew him.

His story matters.

And it’s one we carry forward—not just in memory, but in mission.