Written by Mary Fricchione
Jason, Patrick Baldwin known to most as Jason Hawk, passed away on January 28 2025 in his home surrounded by family and friends.
Jason was loved and admired by all who met him. People around the world were spellbound by his talent, artwork, and story telling superpower.
Jason was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Andrea, an artist and equine therapist and Jim Baldwin, an army special forces instructor, turned carpenter and artist.
Jim adopted the last name Hawk in honor of his years or sky diving. Jason, in later years adopted the name. Both of his parents were renowned for their gift of gab, so they say Jason came by his story telling skills, honestly.
When Jason was young and living in California and Nevada with his older brother Damon and his little sister Jordan, he developed a lifelong love for riding horses, especially out in the desert and mountains.
He grew up in a creative household where he learned early on to work with many materials in his creative endeavors. Jason would spend countless hours looking over his dad‘s shoulder as he carved and created gorgeous, historic and native inspired artwork. Jim also introduced Jason to improvise weapons, survival and all manners of making do that he learned in life and in the service.
When Jason was eight, his older brother and best friend, Damon tragically lost his life to an accident on the beach.
The family was devastated.
A few years later the family to moved Cuchera, Colorado with Jason and his little sister Jordan, where they were caretakers on a large guest ranch called the Yellow Pine. Living in the Rocky Mountains was a dream come true for a young man who only dreamed of the freedom of saddling up a horse and making solo camping trips out into the mountains.
There he was able to practice his mountain men skills of hunting and trapping and camp craft. At 15 Jason and his sister Jordan became licensed wranglers and and helped pack in elk hunters inti the back country.
Jason would all often stay and cook and help tend camp before returning home.
In the tiny town of Cuchara Jason was lucky to find a crew of friends that shared his love for history of the American frontier, hunting and trapping. They would spend long winter evenings sewing clothes and making gear for the reenactment and rendezvous they participated in.
After high school Jason left home and traveled the country for a couple of years until he landed in Montana.
He lived remotely in the Bob martial wilderness and would come into town where Jason worked as a manager and chef at Dos amigos in Kalispell and then a supervisor and chef at Santa Fe Reds in Bozeman. While in Montana he went to school for welding and met his first wife, Erin Meeks. They were married for a couple years and then Jason returned to Arizona.
Jason moved to Rimrock, AZ with his dad.
They shared an artistic studio where he began his knife making hobby on the side while working in a bronze foundry. Jason then met his second wife Ikuko Watanabe a Japanese student studying at NAU. They got married and had a son named Kamui in 2005.
Over the course of many years living off and on in Sedona, Jason earned his fifth-degree black belt in Dose Pares Eskrima under his friend, grandmaster Christopher Petrelli.
Jason met Mary fricchione, his final wife around a campfire after teaching at Winter count. In 2008 Jason‘s first daughter, River was born. When River was two the family moved down to arivaca Az to Mary’s family land, where they set up a carving shop for Jim and a knife making shop for Jason.
In 2012 Jason took a trip to Idaho to teach at Woodsmoke, a classic camping and primitive skills gathering. There he interviewed with Warmsprings production company for the show Mountain Men on History channel. They loved him and came down to Arizona to film for a season of him hunting and trapping and gallivanting around the desert. Unfortunately the desert landscape lacked the snow of the other locations, so that season never aired.
History channel still wanted Jason to film, so they built a show called No Man’s Land that aired in 2014 around him and a handful of other characters in remote desert locations living close to the land.
That show only aired for one season. History channel still wanted him to work with Jason so, they invited him back on Mountain Men season 5. They offered to move the family anywhere in the US. He chose Arkansas because of family ties and the ability to hunt and fish and gather a year round. Jim decided to stayed in Arizona.
Jason and his family filmed season five near the White River outside of Elkins AR. They stayed for the winter on a 600 acre property with an 1800s off grid cabin with a hand well. When spring came and the lease was up, the family returned to AZ. That summer Jason’s dad passed away from a heart attack.
By the next fall, the leased property was no longer available, so Jason and his family went on the hunt for a property to buy. With the help of family and friends Jason was able to buy his current 10 acre homestead in the mountains north of the Arkansas River and Mulberry, AR. After living there for a year or so Jason’s youngest daughter Maddie was born in 2017 on an episode of the show.
In 2018 Jason’s son Kamui came to live with him. Jason continued to film until 2019 when he found out he had cancer. This ended his filming career.
The extra time allowed him to focus on his health and his artwork, which he continued until he physically couldn’t anymore. Toward the end of his life, having a good day was getting over to work in the shop on his knives. He loved making cool shit.
He was a patient man who would spend long hours counseling anyone in need. You could see his patience in everything he did. He loved fishing, hunting, archery, tracking, sewing gear, history, cooking delicious food, learning new skills, and spending time with his friends and family.
In the end, he did the best he could with what he had to work with each day and encouraged everyone to live fully and become a legend.
He leaves behind his wife Mary, son Kamui, daughters River and Maddie, mother Andrea Baldwin, aunt Marilyn Davis, uncle John Baldwin, his sisters Jordan Baldwin, Jill Lott, Jymme Jo Gann, Julie Waller Driskel and numerous nieces and nephews, and too many friends and loved ones to name. He was dearly loved and will be missed.
This brief summary of Jason Hawk’s life, is a woefully inadequate account. For there are stories held in memory and validated by people who are still walking this earth. However, so many of the people that made his stories real, are no longer with us. When unbelievable stories can no longer be verified, they become the stuff of legends.
His memorial will be held in May on the family homestead with his close friends and family.
Please contact Jason’s wife, Mary Fricchione for details.
May he rest in peace I love watching his show you guys were the greatest
Deepest sympathy to you and the Families. May he FOREVER REST IN ETERNAL PEACE.🙏🙏🙏
So very sorry to hear was hoping he could beat this loved watching him on mountain men rip may he have a great shop in heaven
R.I.P Jason, I enjoyed watching you making your Knives.
I loved watching him & his gentle manner. He has been so missed since he had to leave mountain men.
I pray for his family & will keep them in my prayers!
God be with his wife, children, & others!
RIP Jason! ♥️😢🙏
That was the reason I started watching mountain men because of him. He was so smart and intelligent. I wonder why they never brought him back. He will be missed. May he rest in peace.
Sorry for your loss, Jason was one of the reasons I watched the show. Have
definitely missed him.
R.I.P. Jason
i am so sorry to hear of his passing, i enjoyed watching his shows. You can be VERY PROUD of the way that he lived his life, he WILL BE MISSED!!
I loved watching jason and his family on the history channel. He was very good at knife making. Mary was a trully dedicated wife and partner. Watched the episode when Maddie was born. He will be missed a lot..
R.I.P. Jason
RIP Jason, so sorry for losing Him, He made the World a better place. Donna in the Great Smoky Mountains of Western, NC along with Her Own Mountain Man Stephen Adkins.
I’m so sorry for your loss of a great man I enjoyed watching him on Mountain Men sending prayers 🙏
I send my condolences to Jason’s family he was indeed a man who could; that’s a rare species these days. I’m not sure but did Jason appear on the knife making show that’s/was popular on Tv for many years?
So sorry for your loss. Loved watching him & your family. God Bless you & family!
Oh how I will miss following him on television. His kindness and patience, shined like gold..
I was so sorry to hear of Kason’s passing . He was one of my favorite Mountain Men ! He was so down to earth and his love for everyone and everything truly showed . I only k ew him through the tv show , but I feel as though I lost a great friend . My prayers are with Mary and all of the family . I learned a lot about Jason through Mary’s obituary about Jason . Rest In Peace , Jason !
I lobe watching Jason and his family! I pray for them all. You will be dearly missed Jason and always remembered! <3
I loved watching Jason and his family! I pray for them all! You will be dearly missed Jason and always remembered <3
Really enjoyed watching your part on Mountain Man
Loved to watch Jason and his family. I am heartbroken to know he had passed. He was loved by many and will stay in our hearts.
I enjoyed watching your family on mountain men. I am very sorry about your family’s loss. Prayers for your family.
RIP, Jason Hawk. Condolences to his family and friends. We enjoyed watching him on Mountain Men.
My deepest condolences to Mary, the children and Jason’s extended friend family. I loved Jason on Mountain Men, and wished one day I could meet him and learn how to make knives. He reminded me of my uncle Allan. Very chill and a wonderful storyteller. Jadon Hawk, the world lost a good one. Fly high, rest in peace, and thank you for your contributions to this world.
So sorry for your loss. I watched you guys and really liked what I seen. He will definitely be missed. I will keep you in my prayers
So sorry to hear about Jason. Enjoyed watching him and his family on the show.
Jason and Mary and the kids was my favorites. Those two were so down to earth. Jason is gonna be missed. A true all American family. Love you Mary
I loved watching him on mountain men..prayers for all
So sorry to hear this. Would loved to have had one of his knives but couldn’t find out where to buy one. Prayers for the family. He will be missed.
REAL BAD NEWS FOR ME, I LIKED HIM ON THE SHOW.
Loved watching him on Mountain Man and so sorry for your loss. Praying for your family!!
My husband and I absolutely loved watching him on mountain men. He will truly be missed.
I’m so sorry for your loss. It was always a pleasure to watch a truly free people live and enjoy the land. He will be sadly missed. God bless everyone 💞
Thank you for sharing. He made this world a better place. He lives on through his children and you.
Love and peace from Australia
So sorry for your loss I enjoyed watching him for years. Going to miss him my God Wray his arms around you all.
Tout mes sympathies à famille et amie, c’est trop 😞
Loved him on the show
Jason will be missed, but not forgotten. He will always be in our hearts. The show was awesome with him. He always did good work and took care of his family. He was always on a journey to show everybody his skills and he was afraid of. His wife was always there by his side in The show helping him both of them were a very good team By watching the show, you can learn a lot from him and his wife he will be truly missed, but not forgotten. They made a very good team and a very good couple and it was one beautiful family. We love you. Jason
I am so very sorry for the loss of your husband. Please extend my condolences to your family. I will miss Jason on the show. Huggs and love and prayers.
Greetings from Youngstown Ohio. Enjoyed you on the show. Prayers to the family.
Greetings from Youngstown Ohio. Enjoyed you on the show. Prayers to the family.
I’m sorry for your loss mary and family we loved watching him on mountain men..he had a awesome talent..we will keep your family in our prayers.
sorry for your loss i missed jason an you the family on the show
Prayers, peace, and memories to you and your family.
I loved to watch Jason and his family. He will be greatly missed. He was a true mountain-man. May the Lord bless his wife and children .
I loved to watch Jason and his family. He will be greatly missed. He was a true mountain-man. May the Lord bless his wife and children .
So sorry to hear about Jason! My sincere condolences to the family! God bless you all! Wanda D.
RIP. Loved watching a fellow Arkansan. Thoughts and prayers for the family.
Condolences.
So sorry to hear this. I enjoyed watching him and his wife on Mountain Men Rest in peace Jason, prayers for his wife and kids and family and friends.
Go rest high on that mountain. I really enjoyed watching you with your art making something out of nothing. You were amazing. Go fly high.In heaven Above!!!
So sorry loved watching him.
So sorry for the loss to his family and friends.
Sorry for your loss , he was a very interesting man . May he rest in peace . Deepest condolences to his wife and kids and all his family and friends . Sending all my prayers to you from Canada .
What happened mary?
He is already missed by many
My prayers go out to you and yours.
Prayers are with the family. We loved watching him live what seamed to us a hard but rewarding life. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
So sorry Mary. God Bless your Family. I truly enjoyed all of you on the show. RIP Jason
Very sorry for your loss…loved watching him on mountain men….my condolences to all….RIP Jason ❤🙏
sad to hear of his passing. I loved Mtn. Men episodes with him.
Although we didn’t know Jason and his family, we felt that they were friends as well as fellow Arkansans. He will be missed by us, as well as many, many others.
Love & prayers. Loved watching Jason
So sorry for your loss. He was one of my favorites on the show.
I watched mountain men very good show like Mr hawk make his knifes
I am so sorry for your loss. He and you were one of my most favorite people to watch. I am praying for all of you. 🙏
I loved watching him. So kind and humble. He will be missed. We need more tv programs like this. Praying for his family. Makes me so sad.
So sorry for your loss, Mary and all his family. God bless you all!!
Sorry for your loss and prayers for you and your family, friends. I loved him and on Mountain men. I too had stage 4 Cancer of the lungs, but it’s gone now, thanks to Keytruda, and keeps it away, I guess I’m lucky, & God had other plans for me. He will be missed by everyone.
Sorry for your loss and prayers for you and your family, friends. I loved him and on Mountain men. I too had stage 4 Cancer of the lungs, but it’s gone now, thanks to Keytruda, and keeps it away, I guess I’m lucky, & God had other plans for me. He will be missed by everyone.
We loved watching Jason forge his knives out of scrap iron he found around the woods. Prayers for his family.
We really enjoyed knowing Jason through the tv show. He really was so talented. And you could see clearly that he enjoyed his craft and loved his family dearly. I wish I had purchased one of his knives. If there are any left for sale I am very interested. Rest in Peace, Jason.
I’m so sorry for your loss. We watched him on Mountain Men. Very Nice Man. Prayers 🙏 for all
Enjoyed watching the whole family on Mountain Men. Prayers and blessings for all who knew and loved him
He was great I love the way he loved the land an his family GOD BLESS HE’S BEAUTIFUL FAMILY
We enjoyed watching him on Mountain Men.. And would have loved to have had one of his knives..RIP..you will be missed
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He was a great actor. He will surely be missed by his family and friends and all of his TV fans
Im so very sorry for the loss of your husband, father, friend, family member. I always enjoyed watching his part of the show. We live in ne Texas and just wanted to send yall some love and light in this terrible time.
😢😢😢😥😢
I loved your show. The one about the birth of your last baby was great. So sorry to hear Jason’s passing. Take care Mary. May God bless you and your family.
I am so sorry to heart the sad news. I was a big fan of his part on the show and of his amazing work ethic. Please know you both were loved and thank you for sharing your lives with us. God bless your family.
I’m so very sorry for yours and your family’s loss Mary! I enjoyed every show you two made! May Jason rest in Grace!
Un abrazo Mary,sintoo,gustabame vernos na tv,D,E,P,un abrazo pa toda a familia.🙏🏻☮️💗
Im so sad to hear he passed i loved watching him on mountain men God bless R-I-P. I’ll pray for Mary and family.
I am so sorry to learn this. I very much enjoyed his episodes on Mountain Man. I would like to have known him personally. I will pray for the family.
I watched Jason on Mountain Men…my husband and I. He was very talented. So sorry for your loss.
Miss him
RIP.
We have watched you both while you was in your last cabin the births of your children. He will be sadly missed by many a clever man a lovely man .feeling so sad for you and the family bless you all.
All our love from Cornwall UK.
Please accept my condolences in connection with the loss of such a great person. I truly loved watching all his adventures on mountain men. He will truly be missed. Love and prayers to his whole family. Best regards from a fan in Pa.
God Bless you and your family, Jason will be missed and you will be in my heart and prayers 😢, I am from SC
So very sorry to read about Jason. His role on Mountain Men was great, and I could see the wonderful things he created, and his love of life.
Keeping the family in my prayers.
Mary, that was beautifully written. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. I am a huge fan of the show Mountain Men and also enjoyed the episodes of you and Jason building a life in the woods/mountains. We could all see how patient and kind Jason was, with his crafts and his children. As we all know, there is nothing fair about life. This is a prime example of that. You have my deepest condolences. I hope your family can heal and find peace as quickly as possible.
RIP Jason
So sorry for your loss
Our condolences goes out to the family . I love watching him and Mary. My heart. Is broken. I’ve been fallowing sense he left. Gonna miss him . Dam cancer!!!!!fo fly high Jason .
Faith a martin
Anthem Az
Very sorry for your loss! Love watching Jason! He was always so positive and upbeat! Thankful to have enjoyed Jasons life experiences! Best of luck!
I really enjoyed watching him on mountain men and seeing how I forged metals like in the olden days, and he was a very intelligent caring father, and i’m so sorry for everybody’s loss.He’s an angel now!
rest in peace Jason you will be missed …
We will truly miss Jason he was one s kind our prayers to his beautiful family
So so sorry to here this we need more men like this in this world. Loved watching mountain men when he was on it all of them men are true men the way it supposed to be in this world. Praying for the family and remember he will always be watching over you all. With all love the kingerys
I was a fan and watched Jason and Mary living on their homestead, working and raising their family. It was a loss when he was no longer on the program and then we found out he was seriously sick. My heart goes out to you Mary and the rest of the family. He truly was a good man with many talents. So very sorry for your loss. 😢
I’m soooo sorry to hear of Jason’s passing. He was and still is my favorite people on Mountain Men. The love he showed for his family, life and what he did was extraordinary. May he rest in peace and may you treasure the moments you had.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching Jason Hawk on Mountain Men RIP ..
Sorry for your loss. Jason was one of my favorite characters on the show as I thought his idea of off grid was idealic with the perfect place to live and the perfect wife to share it with. I’m sure he is looking down on y’all and will be your guardian angel.
So shocked and sorry to hear this. I often wondered why he wasn’t on Mountain Men anymore. I loved watching him and the show. May you find strength in knowing that so many people loved him.
Sincerely,
Lisa
Sending love & prayers to all.
Take care.
Enjoyed the little time I had with Jason .
A wonderful human being that will be missed by many. God must have needed a patient soul in heaven.
Loved watching him make articles.
He is not dead!
I am so sorry for your loss. I love the show and have been watching the old one. May he rest in peace
So sorry for your lost, prayers for the family and kids, I love watching him making knives
RIP Jason, I enjoyed many nights watching him on Mountain Men. It was obvious he was a unique and special soul.
So sorry for your loss. Love the show Mountain Men and especially your family episodes. Jason was so talented in his endeavors on the show and also his verbiage on his actions and family. Missed seeing him on the show. Then found out he had cancer. A wonderful man to be sure, and you, Mary, are just as talented. God bless.
Watched Jason on mountain Men today teaching River. He was so patient and calm. What a great man! He will be missed.
I’m so sorry for your loss and his kids loss, I really loved watching the show and how talented he was. RIP Jason
So sorry for your loss. I loved watching him on Moutain Men. I pray God gives you peace at this sad time. God Bless you all. Gloria Green.
I watched your show,he was so skilled. So sorry for your loss,thank you for sharing.
God Bless you and your family.
Truly enjoyed the mountain men episodes, so sad when he and family were not on the show anymore. He and family brought many hours of learning and joy to our household. May he rest in peace!
you will be missed for it was a pleasure watching you hone your craft
Very wonderful man rest in peace my friend. Fly high
Mary,we watched the show all the time. Loved when Jason helped deliver your youngest daughter. Loved his knife making.
God Bless you ,Kamui, River,Maddie and family.
Mes plus sincères condoléances à vous,à ses enfants, ainsi qu’à la famille. De tout coeur avec vous ♥️
Mary, Our deepest condolences to you and the family! We loved watching your family and Jason on Mountain Men! Robert was diagnosed with cancer in 2022. We are still battling a rare form of sarcoma. I know all too well what trials and tribulations life handed you, Jason, and the family. God bless you and know that he is watching over you and the kids.
Your friends/fans in South Texas
Hate to hear of Jason’s passing. By far, my most favorite Mountain Man. I was often researching info about him and his family.
I’m so very sorry for your loss of Jason,I injoyed watching him on the mountain man series. He was a very talented young man.❤️🙏❤️🙏❤️🙏
Mary & family. So sorry to hear of Jason’s passing. We love watching y’all on TV. Cancer really sucks!!
Prayers to you and his family and friends we so enjoyed watching Jason on the show weekly may God be with you all
Mary, I messaged Jason on several occasions and we chatted a few times about knives and his time on Mountain Men. I literally have been so busy that I just was notified of his passing. I am so sorry for your loss and it would be my absolute pleasure and privilege to help you and the kiddos in any way that I can. Jason’s legacy will live on and I would love to come to the memorial in May but I’m certain that you will have enough close friends and family around. Let me know if I can help in any way… God Bless you and know that Jason is now your guardian angel!!
I loved watching Jason do his craft and greatly admired his soft voice and patience. He will be greatly missed in my heart.
I will surly miss see the family, loved watching him being a mountain man, loved his life style.
I am so sorry of the loss of Jason. I pray you and the rest of the family will be in our prayers. As soon as I can I would like to send something to ya’ll. Mary you are so talented. I will miss the things Jason made. May God bless ya’ll always.
So sorry for your loss, but the memories ❤️❤️❤️ he was truly a legend! So blessed to get to know you all as a family through the show. God Bless you all 🙏🏽❤️
So sorry for your loss, but the memories ❤️❤️❤️ he was truly a legend! So blessed to get to know you all as a family through the show. God Bless you all 🙏🏽❤️
So sorry for your loss, but the memories ❤️❤️❤️ he was truly a legend! So blessed to get to know you all as a family through the show. God Bless you all 🙏🏽
Sorry for your loss. Hard times.
I’m sorry to hear this about your husband. And my TV friend. God bless thank you very much for your talent and time in this world.
Mary, we watched every single episode of Mountain Men when Jason was airing. We are not family, but have a tremendous admiration for Jason’s crafts, kindness, you and your children , and the ability to live off-grid. We would love to be a part of this celebration, if permissable. Sincerely, Kathy and C.R. Beggs