When Joshua Sajous was 13 years old, he went to visit his oldest brother, David Jones, in Colorado for the first time. On the trip, Jones wanted to pass on some wisdom to his little brother: the art of water skiing.

“I remember teaching him to water ski, and he got it on the first try,” Jones said.

This was not unusual for Sajous, as he was always athletically inclined, Jones said. Sajous was a 2010 Olympic lugehopeful, coached a soccer team made of 4- and 5-year-olds, and was a certified lifeguard in New York state.

Sajous, 22, died Sunday after drowning while trying to retrieve an inflatable raft that floated away in a lake in Windsor,Colo. In addition to his athleticism, Sajous is remembered as a loving, outgoing and generous individual.

Before his recent relocation to Colorado, Sajous was a student at Syracuse University in the College of Visual and Performing Arts. He moved to northern Colorado to begin training as a helicopter pilot in the fall at Aims Community College, Jones said.

Erica Blust, director of communications for VPA, said in an email on behalf of Dean Ann Clark, “The VPA community is saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Joshua Sajous. While he was only at SU and VPA a short time, it is heartbreaking to hear of a life like his being cut so short. Our thoughts go out to all of his family and friends.”

Sajous and his mother, Carol Jones-Sajous, originally planned to travel to Colorado together, Jones-Sajous said, but she decided to stay behind to complete paperwork for her retirement from the military.

“I know if I was there on the lake with him, he would have never gone into the water,” she said.

Jones-Sajous said her son’s interest in becoming a pilot developed at a young age. When Sajous was 6 years old, he took his first trip on an airplane. Ever since that trip, his mother said, he talked about how much he loved being in the air.

From age 10 until college, Sajous actively trained for luge in hopes of going to the Olympics. Sajous met a fellow Olympic hopeful from Japan whose father was a freight pilot, Jones-Sajous said. The man told Sajous about flying a freight plane and the excitement that came with such a job, furthering Sajous’ interest in the profession.

Loving, outgoing, generous, popular and respectful: These are words Jones-Sajous used to describe her son. Sajous joined Habitat for Humanity, where he helped to bring a home up to code for a mother and her newborn child, Jones-Sajous said. Sajous sent his mother pictures of himself working on the home.

The homeowner sent thank-you letters to each of the students who participated, telling them how proud she was to bring her newborn to a safe, healthy home, Jones-Sajous said.

Sajous and fellow Habitat for Humanity members received an award for their work on the project. Jones-Sajous traveled to watch her son receive the award.

“He was just so proud of that project,” she said.

Jones described his brother as a “very generous, kind-hearted and courteous individual.”

On his Facebook page, Sajous posted this quote: “Remember, repeated failure is no guarantee of eventual success,” which his brother said he lived by.

“He definitely gave it his all, every attempt he made in life,” Jones said. “He gave himself to people wholeheartedly.”

Published on June 21, 2012 at 12:00 am

Contact Casey: cffabris@syr.edu | @caseyfabris