Caring. Authentic. Strong-willed. Tenacious. Charismatic. Outgoing. Fearless. Loyal. Witty. Compassionate. Snarky. Committed. Outspoken. Thoughtful. Creative. Stubborn. Welcoming. Pragmatic. Irreverent. Fun. Old-soul. Altruistic. Nurturing. Mischievous. Exuberant. Tough. Driven. Intelligent. Lively. Passionate. Supportive. Sociable. Responsible. Talkative. Good-natured. Loud. Entertaining. Comical. Vibrant. Smart. Fierce. Warm. Loving. Hardworking. Brave. Hilarious. Goofy. Talented. Headstrong. Direct. Sarcastic. Bright. Independent. Unconventional. Bold. Ambitious. Expressive. Theatrical. Imaginative. Playful. Unpredictable. Tender-hearted. Sensitive. Sweet. Unique. Fiery. Strong. Funny. Clever. Astute. Curious. Courageous. Sincere. Dedicated. Unwavering. Resourceful. Resolute. Perceptive. Kindhearted. Spectacular. Persistent. Devoted. Feisty. Endearing. Understanding. Exceptional. Upstanding. Determined. Trustworthy. Sympathetic. Resilient. Empathetic. Dependable. Spicy.

These are the words that many loved ones used to describe Jeannessa. In high school she owned the stage in a number of musicals and tore it up singing and playing guitar, bass, and even occasionally drums as part of Mid-Pen’s Studio Ensemble band. She even wrote and performed a number of her own songs. She was an outstanding student and excelled in numerous leadership roles at Mid-Pen.

However, her biggest passion was animals. During her senior year, she volunteered for 13th Street Cat Rescue, and left performing behind to focus on animals after high school graduation. She spent most of her college years working at Home Away From Home, a doggie daycare and pet spa, where she met Cynthia and Dean Karengin, owners of Bite Club. They took her under their “paws” teaching her how to work with a variety of dogs, starting with her own Humphrey, a senior American Bully she adopted in April 2022 who came to Jeannessa with aggression issues around other dogs. Humphrey was a sweet soul who finally did learn to chill around his canine friends until he had to be put down for senior health issues in the summer of 2024, shortly after her graduation from CSU Monterey Bay.

If she had to choose, dogs were Jeannessa’s favorite, but there wasn’t a critter she didn’t love. She rescued a bonded pair of polydactyl kittens, Asher and Juniper, in May of 2021 and had a variety of frogs. In addition to her own pets, she fostered nearly 20 cats and dogs in her short life, including a pair of kittens she bottle-fed from two weeks old who would have been euthanized if they had been taken to a shelter. They were just five weeks old when her life was tragically stolen from her, and she fortunately had already arranged a permanent home for them.

After college, she got a job at Blue Pearl Pet Hospital in Monterey, and then at Lincoln Avenue Veterinary Clinic upon returning home to San Jose, to pursue her certification as a vet tech as a stepping stone to her ultimate goal of dog surgeon. She also shared a dream with her baby sister of running a goat farm—Jeannessa tending the herd while Arya managed a café serving their farm-fresh goat cheese. Had Jeannessa had the opportunity to live, there is no doubt these dreams would have been actualized.

Jeannessa may no longer be with us in this physical realm, but her spirit and energy live on. She is an inspiration to be all of the qualities she embodied during her short life—to rescue animals and their humans.