'This Is Us' Writer Jas Waters Dies at 39 – See Her Colleagues' Emotional Tributes
TV writer and journalist Jas Waters shocked her friends and co-workers by her sudden passing at the young age of 39. An outpour of tributes flooded Twitter following news of her untimely death.
The “This Is Us” family and the hip-hop community is mourning the loss of writer Jas Waters who passed away in her Hollywood home at an early age of 39.

The main cast of "This Is Us" during NBCUniversal's Press Tour in January 2020. | Photo: Getty Images
A tweet released on the This Is Us Writers page shared the sad news and paid tribute to Waters’ brilliance as “a story teller and force of nature.” Part of the statement read,
“The entire #ThisIsUs family was devastated to learn of Jas Waters passing. In our time together, Jas left her mark on us and ALL over the show.”
This news took my breath away. Jas was absolutely brilliant and had so many stories still to tell. She made an indelible mark on our show and my heart breaks for her loved ones. RIP @JasFly https://t.co/fAZlIjhsIH
— Dan Fogelman (@Dan_Fogelman) June 10, 2020
Several news outlets covered Waters’ passing but her cause of death was not revealed. Instead, there was an outpour of love and sorrow from people who knew or worked with her.
In 2018, Waters spoke about her road to becoming a screenwriter sand how rules never applied to her since growing up in an "old folks' home".
Sending love and light to @JasFly’s family and loved ones. 💓💓💓💓
— Mandy Moore (@TheMandyMoore) June 10, 2020
“This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman shared his heartbreak saying Waters’ death “took my breath away.” Show lead Mandy Moore sent "love and light" to Waters’ family while her co-star Susan Kelechi Watson said that “incredibly shocked and saddened” with the news.
Incredibly shocked and saddened to have just receive this news. Blessed Light, fly with the angels. @JasFly #jaswaters Jas Waters Dies: ‘This Is Us’ Writer Dead at 39 https://t.co/VU1fzGdVIN via @heavysan
— Susan Kelechi Watson (@skelechiwatson) June 10, 2020
Meanwhile, music journalist Sowmya Krishna Murthy described Watson as “a motivating energy and dope woman in hip-hop.” Digital marketing strategist Karen Civil extended her condolences to Waters’ family and Raven B. paid tribute to her “Brilliant Soul.”
Waters joined NBC’s flagship drama series, “This Is Us” on its second season. More recently, she wrote for Showtime’s “Kidding.”
If you are in the industry, you know @JasFly ... a motivating energy and dope woman in hip-hop. Today hurts
— Sowmya Krishnamurthy (@SowmyaK) June 10, 2020
In 2018, Waters spoke about her road to becoming a screenwriter and how rules never applied to her since growing up in an "old folks' home". She said she found her life at most times “very confining” but also “very freeing.” She also considered writing as a means to learn more about herself.
Rest In Peace @JasFly
— RAVEN B. (@RAVIEB) June 10, 2020
Truly a Brilliant Soul 💙
Waters’ other credits include VH1’s “The Breaks” and Comedy Central’s “Hood Adjacent with James Davis.” She also lent her talent to the big screen via Taraji P. Henson’s “What Women Want.”
She also worked on "Hardball," "Save The Last Dance," MTV's "Real World," "Barbershop," and its sequel, "Barbershop 2: Back in Business," and NBC's "E.R." She was also a writer for VIBE Magazine in 2012.