Jason Matthew Canterbury died at home after fighting a long battle against ALS on Star Date July 1, 2026. Jason not only fought this disease on a personal and physical level, but also chaired the ALS Roll and Stroll and lobbied for legislation to provide funding for research and to provide assistance to those fighting ALS and to provide support for the caregivers.

Jason was born on May 5, 1978 in Charleston, WV. He was a 1996 graduate of Herbert Hoover High School, where he was active in band and he was the captain of the State Championship Quiz Bowl team. After graduating, he attended Alderson-Broaddus College.

Jason spoke Japanese, played multiple instruments, and was a voracious reader. Jason was a lifelong nerd, a huge fan of Star Wars, and a devout Whovian and Trekky. Jason was, in the truest form, a TARDIS and The Doctor in that he was bigger on the inside and, in all his years of time and space, he never met a person who left his presence feeling unimportant.

Jason’s fight against ALS and his efforts to lessen the impact of this disease on those diagnosed and those who love them survive his mortal body. His efforts and determination live on, and as he often reminded us of the words of the Twelfth Doctor (his favorite), “everything ends and it’s always sad, but everything begins again, and that’s always happy.”

Jason is preceded in death by grandparents, Ralph and Virgie Young; special dad, Dale Carnefix; and best friend and Wonder-Twin, Shannon Strickland.

Jason married the love of his life, the beautiful and brilliant Amanda Mandirola, on June 27, 2026, on the anniversary of both his mother’s wedding anniversary and his grandparents’ wedding anniversary, a date that meant so much to him.

Jason is survived by his wife, Amanda Canterbury-Mandirola; his mother, Jackie Carnefix; brothers, James Miller (Chelsea) and Joshua Miller (Brittany); sister, Heather; nieces, Haylee, Caroline, Maci, and Florence; nephews, Isaiah and Sawyer; his Aunt Brenda and Uncle Eddie; multiple cousins and non-biological family/Companions including Ted Ford, Krystal Welch McConihay, Travis Kessel, Melissa “Hooper” Alder, Guinevere Starcher, and T-Bone Starcher.

Jason’s family would like to thank Dr. Jared Hollinger and the staff at the Marshall Health ALS Clinic for all their help and support our ALS journey and for the unwavering compassion and care Jason received during his time navigating this journey. We also wish to thank Dr. Grant Parkins for all his excellent care during this journey. Special thanks to his ALS Team TARDIS planning committee at Charleston Surgical Hospital. Through the support of these people, Jason sustained the will to fight and to continue.

Jason’s last few years can be summed up best by the Eleventh Doctor to Amelia Pond:

“There is so much, so much to see, [friends]. Because it goes so fast. I’m not running away from things; I am running to them before they flare and fade forever.”

A service to honor the life of Jason Matthew Canterbury will be held at Snodgrass Funeral Home on Monday, July 6, 2026 at 7:00pm. A public visitation for family and friends will begin at 6:00pm one hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations be made to either or both the ALS Association at https://www.als.org/donate or the Rescue Coop at https://www.rescuecoop.org/donate.

Snodgrass Funeral Home in South Charleston is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements.