A COUPLE are trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of the son they found dead at his York home.

Enid and Arnold Carter said they were deeply shocked after making the discovery at 28-year-old Jason's home off Malton Road, York.

Jason had spent his childhood bravely fighting against illness and had undergone nine operations as a boy.

Enid and Arnold, from Bugthorpe, thought he had beaten his illness as he had been healthy as a young man.

But it is thought he died of acute pancreatitis, which could have developed as a result of his boyhood complaints.

Jason had complained of feeling unwell the day before he died and when Mr and Mrs Carter went to pick him up on May 23 they found he had passed away.

The couple said they were still in a state of shock over the sudden and unexpected death.

Mrs Carter described her son as a quiet young man who loved his music and thought a lot about his family.

She said: "Jason was a very cheerful, quiet, polite person who had a collection of 300 CDs and 200 tapes.

"He loved music across the spectrum, and also DVDs and videos. Music was his life."

Jason was adopted by the couple when he was a baby and underwent nine major operations due to problems with his stomach and kidneys.

He grew up on the couple's farm in Bugthorpe where he loved to help out feeding the animals and milking the cows.

Jason also helped his dad, who was a Methodist preacher, take services at chapels in Bugthorpe and Pocklington.

After leaving Woldgate School, he studied at Beverley College for two years and went on to study at York Business College.

Mrs Carter said she wanted to sincerely thank the very good neighbours Jason had in York.

Jason's funeral was taking place at York Crematorium today.

Updated: 10:46 Tuesday, June 03, 2003