He came off the ventilator on his birthday

Jackson in his 97 jersey at Shepherd Center

Jackson turned eighteen today, and he breathed through the whole day on his own.

In January, surgeons in Vancouver told us he had a complete C1 and C2 spinal cord injury. They said he would need a ventilator and a feeding tube for the rest of his life and would never feel or move anything below his neck. He did not accept a word of it.

Coming off a ventilator is not one moment. It is months of practicing breathing for a few minutes at a time, then a few more. There was nerve pain that made his whole body feel like it was on fire. A misplaced feeding tube punctured his colon and left him with no nutrition for weeks, and he went from 180 pounds down to 126.

Today the tube came out and stayed out.

His injury has been upgraded from ASIA A, the most severe grade there is, to ASIA D. He has feeling and movement coming back in all four limbs. The staff here call it a miracle. Jackson has started calling himself the miracle boy.

Happy birthday, Jackson.

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