The Power Rangers family and fanbase is still reeling from the death of Jason David Frank at the age of 49. Having joined Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers as Tommy Oliver a little later after the hit action kids series premiered, and with Tommy ultimately holding five different Ranger mantles, Frank was one of the franchise’s most important actors. In real life, Frank was also an accomplished martial artist who ran the Rising Sun Karate school, and the martial arts academy has revealed how it will honor the late Power Rangers star.
Rather than shut down in the wake of Jason David Frank’s passing, TMZ reports that the Rising Sun Karate school will continue operating, and Sam Sprague, a senior instructor who co-founded Rising Sun with Frank, will take over running the school. While the school’s staff and students are “devastated” over the loss of Frank, they intend to honor his memory by “passing on his teachings.” Rising Sun, which has two locations in California and one in Texas, also intends to “honor Jason in some capacity company-wide,” but it’s unclear right now what that will entail.
On the day that Jason David Frank’s death was confirmed, Rising Sun Karate, which teaches the Toso Kune Do technique that Frank created which mashes up several fighting styles, also posted the below tribute to him.
Although the official cause of Jason David Frank’s death has not been disclosed to the public, it’s been reported he died by suicide. Alleged details have come to light about the events leading up to Frank’s death, including how he and his wife, Tammie Frank, who served him divorce papers back in August, got into an argument so bad at a Texas hotel that some employees came in to break it up. This was followed by another dispute that ended with Jason David Frank locking Tammie Frank out of his room, and when she later became concerned, she called the police, and upon entering the room, they reportedly found he’d hanged himself in the bathroom. Additionally, Jason David Frank was being sued by Jason Meekins, who claims to be the father of the child that the late Shayla Bergeron, Tammie Frank’s daughter and the Power Rangers star’s stepdaughter, had.
After Jason David Frank’s death was confirmed, many of Jason David Frank’s Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers co-stars paid tribute to him, including Amy Jo Johnson, who played Kimberly Hart, the original Pink Ranger. Frank’s initial tenure in the Power Rangers franchise lasted from Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers to the first half of Power Rangers Turbo, with Tommy Oliver being the Green Ranger, the White Ranger, Zeo Ranger V - Red and the Red Turbo Ranger. Frank was among the Red Ranger actors who appeared in the Power Rangers Wild Force episode “Forever Red,” and then in 2004, he returned as a series regular for Power Rangers Dino Thunder, with that show seeing Tommy become the Black Dino Ranger. Along with later appearing in the Power Rangers Super Megaforce finale “Legendary Battle” and the Power Rangers Super Ninja Steel episode “Dimensions in Danger,” Frank cameoed alongside Johnson in the 2017 Power Rangers movie.
We here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our condolences to Jason David Frank’s family and friends during this difficult time. He will be missed.
