Jason Allen Erickson

Jason Allen Erickson, age 54, of Burnsville, Minnesota, died unexpectedly on February 1, 2026, leaving an imprint that reaches far beyond the people who knew him in person. Jason was born on August 21, 1971, in Rochester, Minnesota, to Norman and Delores Erickson.

Jason lived as if time were negotiable. He was often the last to leave the party, treated sleep like a needless interruption, and his mind never stopped because he was always learning, always teaching, always helping someone understand. He loved a good debate—sharp, informed, and relentlessly curious and he could pivot without ego when better evidence showed up. Science wasn’t a hobby for him; it was a compass.

That compass shaped a career defined by impact. Jason graduated from Rochester John Marshall High School in 1989 and attended Rochester Community and Technical College for 2 years before going to the University of Minnesota, Duluth. After earning a B.B.A. in Marketing and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Minnesota Duluth, Jason completed his massage therapy education at Northwestern Health Sciences University (2005–2006), where he served as a student leader and was inducted into the NWHSU Student Leadership Hall of Fame in 2007. Jason also worked for Menards, LensCrafters and Qwest before going to massage school but quickly realized the corporate world was not for him. He didn’t just want to earn a paycheck; he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives.

Jason went on to become one of Minnesota’s most respected pain-science forward massage therapists and educators. A former chronic pain patient, he built his work around a biopsychosocial understanding of pain and spent decades translating complex research into practical, humane care. Having completed more than 1,500 hours of continuing education, he taught seminars across the United States and internationally. He understood pain not only as a clinician, but as someone who had lived it and he dedicated his life to helping others move beyond it.

He co-owned and practiced at Eagan Massage Center with his business partner of 17 years, Kelly Thompson, building a high-standard clinic and mentoring therapists with the same mix of rigor and generosity that defined everything he did. His clients ranged from everyday people trying to get their lives back to elite athletes; he supported runners at Grandma’s Marathon and the Twin Cities Marathon year after year. Thousands found their way out of pain through his hands, his teaching, and his insistence that good care must be both evidence-based and deeply human.

Jason was also a personal trainer for many years, helping people of all ages function in their daily lives without pain. He attracted clients that were too intimidated by typical personal trainers.

Some of his proudest successes were not found in podium finishes, but in quieter victories: a grandmother able to pick up her grandchild without fear of dropping her, a restaurant owner able to keep her business open because her shoulder pain had eased, and individuals finally able to return to work or sleep through the night. Every small increment of improvement was, to him, a celebration.

Jason was also widely known as an educator and community-builder in the massage world. He started the Massage Therapists group on Facebook, a science-forward space that helped tens of thousands of therapists question old assumptions without shaming anyone for having believed them. Colleagues consistently described him as patient, kind, funny, and intellectually generous—someone who could challenge ideas without attacking people, and who made room for others to grow.

Outside the clinic and classroom, Jason was a full-spectrum human: affectionate, loyal, and the rare listener who made you feel like the only person in the room. He would give you the shirt off his back. He believed fiercely in the dignity and rights of others—immigrants, LGBTQ people, women, and marginalized communities—and he carried that ethic into the way he led, taught, hired, and showed up. He wanted to matter, and he did. Jason was also raised as a Lutheran but became a devout Atheist. He had very strong beliefs and could talk with anyone that would listen for hours about religion and politics.

Earlier in his life, Jason loved swing dancing, sang in the Dakota Valley Symphony, performed in a play, and devoted many years to martial arts. You could often find him at the Renaissance Festival dressed in his knight costume. He enjoyed playing games, whether board games with characters or video games, and was a lifelong student who genuinely loved school. He loved writing and editing and produced an immense body of work across professional outlets, always trying to pull the field toward clearer thinking and better care. He admired improvisational rapper Harry Mack and was known for never throwing anything away because he believed everything had a purpose.

Jason was a mentor, a friend, and a devoted father-figure stepdad to Mia and Haley, whom he loved deeply. He was admired for unabashedly being himself and inspired others to embrace being their true selves. He is mourned by his family, his clients, his students, his colleagues across the United States and internationally, and by a massage therapy community that is more scientific, more connected, and more compassionate because he helped shape it.

Jason was preceded in death by his mother, Delores; a still born sister; nephew, Maximus Aaron Birr; stepmother, Mary; Maternal grandparents, Alvin and Lavorna Boldt; Paternal grandparents Edwin and Daisy Marie Swanson.

Jason is lovingly remembered by his father, Norman; siblings, Aaron, Andrea (Kevin) and Evan; stepdaughters Haley and Mia; longtime partner Kelly; special friend Vida; and a large extended family, and so many friends and colleagues.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date.