Jesse’s Justice
Jesse’s Justice is an all-volunteer nonprofit based in Western Massachusetts, founded by Jesse Johansmeyer’s mother, Darlene Thorpe, and his sister, Willow Vandoloski.
It started after Jesse’s death in a 2023 hit-and-run. It also started with a question no family should have to carry: why didn’t anyone call 911?
The legal system didn’t have a clear duty for bystanders. The support system for families wasn’t much of a system at all.
Jesse’s Justice exists to honor Jesse’s life by doing the work in front of them — pushing for Jesse’s Law, building awareness, and giving other families something real to hold onto when the world moves on.
Why We Exist
The idea for Jesse’s Justice did not come from policy theory or abstract advocacy. It came from lived experience.
Despite multiple people being right there, no one called 911 for about 45 minutes after Jesse was critically injured. Under current Massachusetts law, there was no general duty requiring bystanders to act. That legal gap, paired with the silence and confusion that followed, became a defining moment for Jesse’s family.
Jesse’s Justice exists because this gap should not exist. When someone is seriously hurt, calling for emergency help should be the baseline expectation, not an optional moral choice. The organization was created to push for that expectation to be clearly reflected in law, culture, and community behavior.
Our Mission
Jesse’s Justice works to honor Jesse’s spirit by pushing for accountability, stronger bystander responsibility, and meaningful support for families living with traumatic, preventable loss.
In serious emergencies:
- People should call for help.
- People should stay with those who are hurt.
- People should tell the truth.
- Families should not be left alone to navigate grief, legal systems, and public silence.
Everything Jesse’s Justice does is rooted in these principles.
When a life-threatening emergency happens, calling 911 should never be a question.
What We Do
Jesse’s Justice focuses on a small number of core efforts, each shaped by lived experience rather than theory.
Advocacy for Jesse’s Law
We advocate for Jesse’s Law, a proposed Massachusetts “duty to call 911” law.
Jesse’s Law would require bystanders who witness a serious, life-threatening medical emergency to call 911, unless doing so would put them in danger or help is clearly already on the way.
The goal is accountability in extreme cases of inaction. The law does not ask people to provide medical care or put themselves at risk.
Education and Bystander Awareness
We speak openly about bystander behavior and party culture, and about what can happen when people choose not to act.
This work focuses especially on teens and young adults. These situations tend to show up around them more often, and decisions are usually made quickly, under pressure.
The intent isn’t fear or punishment. It’s awareness, before someone ever finds themselves in that moment.
Sharing Jesse’s Story
We share Jesse’s story as part of this work.
It keeps Jesse’s life at the center of the mission. It also pushes back on the idea that these tragedies are unavoidable.
This is about prevention, not blame. Jesse’s life still matters.
Survivor-Informed Resources
We gather and share resources for grieving families.
This focus is especially for parents and siblings dealing with sudden, preventable loss.
These resources come from lived experience, not theory. We offer them honestly, without pretending grief is predictable.
Who We Are
Jesse’s Justice is led by Jesse’s mother and sister, brother Jeb, and brother-in-law Wade, alongside a growing circle of friends, supporters, and volunteers who are committed to this work. The organization is intentionally small and all-volunteer.
We are not professional lobbyists or legal experts by trade. We are a family and a community learning, step by step, how to advocate for change while carrying profound loss.
Our Values
How You Can Help
Jesse’s Justice is sustained by community support. There are several ways to help.
Donate
Financial gifts support advocacy, education, and events. They also cover the ongoing needs of the organization.
Give time or skills
Volunteers make a difference. So do specific skills and in-kind contributions.
Support the advocacy
Sign the petition for Jesse’s Law. Share it. Contact legislators. Practice active bystander behavior in everyday life.
Change doesn’t happen alone. If you want to support the work of Jesse’s Justice, you can find ways to get involved here.