
Johnathan at a National Junior Honor Society Meeting with his peers.
What
Happened
Johnathan Kennith McCain was diagnosed with a rare cancer called NUT Midline Carcinoma. This cancer came to the family’s disbelief as Johnathan was never a sickly child nor ever had an extensive stay in the hospital for any reason. He had a physical annually and was fully vaccinated at the time of diagnosis. Johnathan’s symptoms were minimal and nothing the family would have initially taken him to the hospital for (i.e. weight loss, nausea, fatigue, fever) and none of the symptoms happened consecutively. It was when he complained of decreased appetite and wanting to faint that the family became concerned. It was also noted that Johnathan’s eyes began jaundicing and he started presenting with a lump in his abdomen. He was swiftly taken to the emergency room at Levine Children’s Hospital and during that visit, the worst news a mother could receive was given, Johnathan had a tumor in his liver, it spread to his mediastinum and was spreading. The family was told that the cancer was aggressive and that Johnathan just had bad luck as it was neither environmental nor genetic. The cancer was formally diagnosed 1 July of 2021 and by 5 October 2021 Johnathan passed away. Johnathan never had a high school experience due to COVID precautions, missing his freshman year to be virtual, and now cancer, missing his sophomore year.

Our Johnathan Kennith McCain.
Who Was
Johnathan K. McCain
Johnathan was born in Heidelberg, Germany on 31 May 2006. A military brat, he never made one country or state his permanent residence, but always had an affection to return to his “mother country” Germany to learn more about where he was born. Johnathan had a vivid imagination as well as a strong desire to learn and do the right thing. He was strong academically being accepted into the National Junior Honors Society and maintained a 4.14 GPA. He loved playing his alto saxophone, playing at the football games and marching with the band, which he was 1st chair multiple semesters. Johnathan also tutored in classical piano during his spare time. Johnathan was accepted and virtually attended the Engineering & Technologies Academy (ETA), a magnet program, at Roosevelt High School in San Antonio, Texas his 9th grade year. Johnathan was superior in Tae Kwon Do and Kung Jung Mu Sul earning multiple belts and stripes in both arts. During the summers, Johnathan attended ID Tech Camp where learned Game Design 101, VR Design with Unity and Oculus Go, Fortnite Camp and Unreal Engine Level Design as well as built his first video game that you could actually play. Johnathan volunteered at multiple food pantries and shelters as well as sang in the choir and attended Sunday School at many churches we attended over the years. Johnathan was smart, witty, articulate, funny and charming. He was a leader, never a follower and Johnathan told us up till the day he died, “I’m just built different.”

Johnathan receiving National Junior Honor Society Award with dad, Michael.
Where We
Are Today
Melanated Melon Corp, established in 2021, is young in age but its founders are strong in heart, are no stranger to hard work, community service, and neither was Johnathan. We have been purposed to action this cause and give real hope to families looking for a glimmer of sanity in the insaneness of that which is cancer. As we raise money and put these resources to use we do it with such humbleness, gratitude and with the full understanding and commitment of your trust in us. There is no bringing our Johnathan back, but we hope and pray through our effort we can create change and turn it around for all of our children and their families.
We cannot do this with out you. Help us Be Johnathan Strong.

What Is
Melanated Melon
Melanated Melon is a concept. A representation of the many shades of baldness witnessed during this journey and the heartbreak that nothing could prepare us for. It was one of the saddest moments, and there where many of those, because of how important hair is. To our surprise, Johnathan’s bald head or his melon was completely round, brown and beautiful. He was beautiful. In the hospital during another round of chemo I began to draw a rendition of a cancer ribbon that suited the experiences of my life and how cancer has plagued things I love from people to animals. The ribbon logo was rounded to resemble a melon at the top then filled in with multiple colors not to say one cancer group deserves more attention over the other, but to represent all cancer and how we should all get behind every person who has to battle this awful disease. Anyone can be Johnathan strong or “whomever” strong. This ribbon is for each person who fought that fight, whether won or lost, this ribbon is for the families who suffer cancer daily and still have to function with or without their loved one, this ribbon is for what ever your fight looks like, this ribbon is for YOU. Look closely, the different patterns inside the ribbon actually spell out Melanated Melon.