In Loving Memory of Nick Rapp Fond memories. Heavy hearts. A love that will never fade.

In Loving Memory of Nick Rapp Fond memories. Heavy hearts. A love that will never fade. 💔

John and Judith Rapp never imagined that the final hours of 2019 would mark the beginning of a heartbreak that would change their family forever. When they received the shocking news that their 34-year-old son, Nick, had been booked into jail, their world seemed to tilt on its axis.

On December 31, 2019, deputies with the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office arrested Nick around 10 p.m. following an argument with his partner that escalated into what authorities described as a “potential domestic violence situation.” For a young man who had never before been arrested, the experience was unfamiliar, frightening, and deeply troubling.

But Nick’s story was not one of criminality — it was one of struggle.

That night, he was in a fragile emotional state. According to court records, his partner — the mother of his child — had been so concerned for his safety that she picked him up and took him to her home. He arrived intoxicated and expressing suicidal ideations, revealing just how heavy the burden on his heart had become.

John and Judith knew their son was hurting. They had seen the signs of depression weighing on him. They understood that beneath his outward presence was a man battling silent storms. And yet, in the midst of their fear, they held onto a fragile thread of reassurance.

“I remember feeling he’s not in a good place right now. He’s very depressed, but at least if he’s in jail he’s safe,” Judith recalled.

“I remember us talking about that,” John added. “We had a fair amount of confidence that they would get it right.”

Those words now echo with a painful tenderness — the trust of parents who believed their son would be protected during one of the most vulnerable moments of his life.

Nick was more than the circumstances of that night. He was a son. A father. A friend. A man who loved deeply and felt deeply. Those who knew him remember his laughter, his quiet moments of reflection, and the way he cared for his child. He carried dreams, flaws, hopes, and a heart that sometimes felt too much.

Mental health struggles are often invisible battles. They do not announce themselves with sirens or flashing lights. They creep quietly, clouding judgment, amplifying despair, and isolating those who suffer. Nick’s experience is a solemn reminder that emotional pain can be just as urgent as any physical injury.

John and Judith’s grief is layered — grief for the son they loved for 34 years, grief for the help they believed would come, and grief for the conversations they will never get to have again. Yet even in sorrow, they speak of him with love. They remember the little boy who once held their hands, the teenager discovering his path, the man who became a father himself.

As we honor Nick’s memory, we also honor the reality of mental health struggles and the importance of compassion, awareness, and care for those in crisis. No one should feel alone in their darkest hour.

To John and Judith, Nick will always be their son — not defined by a single night, not reduced to a booking record, but remembered for a lifetime of moments that mattered.

May his memory be a call for empathy.

May his story be a reminder to check on those who are hurting.

And may his family find strength in the love that surrounds them.

Rest gently, Nick. You are remembered. You are loved. You are missed beyond words. 💙