You may have noticed it was a quieter year at eMoods. The mood tracking applications hummed along normal as usual, but there was something missing. Our regularly thoughtful responses for every review, regardless of the critique, were silent. There were no fun and informative monthly newsletters, and our blog entries dwindled to two (albeit–terrific) posts. Our small, dedicated team responded to support emails, but every once in a while, when every solution they could come up with wouldn't work, they had to sadly admit that they couldn't figure out how to help further at that time. It's been quiet because on November 19, we remember with heavy hearts, eMoods' founder Jon Stavis on the one year anniversary of his passing.
Jon created the eMoods tracker application as a hobby project over a decade ago for his own needs, but quickly recognized how useful and valuable it might be to other people looking to track their moods. Two conditions were paramount while developing the app for others–make it free for everyone who needed it, and ensure it was private. Jon had the utmost respect for its users and he felt strongly that this was personal information and wanted it stored securely on their phone, not in a server. He first developed the app on an Android phone and after a few years of steady popularity, the iOS version was created.
The feedback was so overwhelmingly positive! Users were thrilled to have an easy, practical, and affordable tool to help manage their mental health, particularly bipolar and other mood disorders. Over the years Jon kept adding more functionality and customizable options, and built a simple website with a blog and sent monthly newsletter to offer useful, interesting information that was relatable to the community. Eventually, enough users asked about making a cloud-based version, and so Insights was born for those who wanted to be able to conveniently access their information online. Jon was also speaking more openly about being the founder of eMoods, both growing his confidence–particularly compared to his formerly often secretive and anonymous stance–and as a huge stride in helping to break mental health stigma.
By this time, thanks to voluntary donations and payments made by users who wanted to show support or use customized features, Jon made eMoods his full-time job. He had a tiny team of 2-3 part-timers to help him with app development, answer support emails, and write blog posts and the newsletter–often eMoods app users themselves who wanted to be a part of this amazing work, and other times friends and family. eMoods was helping people in a significant way all over the world.
But it was always Jon at the helm–the founder, the lead developer, the head writer, the heart and soul of eMoods. He read and responded to every review. He was constantly striving to make it a better user experience. He understood and cared about eMoods' users and its community, while also being the original member of it.
Jon's loss continues to be a shock and tragedy to his family and friends, even one year later. Jon was, among many outstanding qualities, strong, compassionate, smart, and ambitious. He is missed everyday by those who loved him. He left his mark on the world in so many ways–and eMoods is clearly one of them. We are proud of Jon and everything he achieved, and eMoods continues in his honor and as one of his legacies, but in a different, quieter capacity as it transitions. During the last year, we had to pick up the reins, educate and familiarize ourselves with how to use them, and constantly assess the process and user experience for everyone using the app (knowing Jon would have, no doubt, done it better). The year without him has been difficult for everyone who knew him, and while sharing the news of his loss sooner might have been helpful information for users, simply put–grief got in the way.
The eMoods team, still small, caring, and dedicated is proud that we've seamlessly kept eMoods going, and we continue to do so. We honor and respect this community that Jon created, and will keep it informed of how we continue to transition. We strive towards making eMoods everything its users want it to be and we are grateful for your patronage and support everyday. We understand how important eMoods is, and how users depend on it being there for them. And so, we continue to be there for you, providing guidance and support, along with compassion and encouragement, just as Jon would have been.
With peace and love, Jon's family and the eMoods team