Help Jack Get the Van He Needs

It’s not what happens; it’s how you respond:

Ever since a diving accident left him paralyzed in the summer of 1982, Jack Porter has pushed himself to be strong. Early in his recovery, Jack insisted on using a manual wheelchair—even though, medically speaking, he was a quadriplegic. Jack’s injury had caused a compression fracture of his C6/C7 vertebra, which resulted in severe trauma of the spinal cord. For Jack, this meant he would retain some degree of control over his arms, but from his midsection down, he was paralyzed.

Though his body was seemingly changed forever, his mind was resolute; Jack was determined to use all the muscle and bone he could still control—hence the manual chair. In some ways, that’s all you need to know about Jack to understand him. That, and the fact that, since that tragic moment 41 years ago, he has never looked back...

Aging happens to us all, but not all aging is equal:

Imagine you are 61 years old, and your body parts are routinely stiffening and getting sore. Further, imagine that you damage your shoulder when doing something you’ve done multiple times a day, for over 40 years. For most 61-year-olds, this wouldn’t be a picnic, but it also wouldn’t be the end of the world. Give your shoulder a break; undergo some physical therapy; or both. Alternatively, you could opt for surgery, knowing that your recovery would be manageable. Now imagine that you're Jack.

'Ordinary' accomplishments:

Moment by moment, for decades, Jack has literally and figuratively leaned hard on his right shoulder to make it through his day. These are the ‘ordinary’ accomplishments we take for granted, daily—but with the added effort Jack must expend to compensate for his spinal cord injury.

A serious setback:

ln April of 2023, as Jack was attempting to get into his modified vehicle to go to work, he heard and felt his right bicep tendon ‘pop.’ Though he didn't know it at the time, he had also suffered a 95 percent tear of his rotator cuff. In that moment, Jack’s life was dramatically changed. If his diving accident was the worst thing that’s ever happened to Jack, this shoulder injury was the second worst.

Thankfully, friends and family have helped him through the various phases of his treatment. Since 2004, Jack has lived in Charleston, South Carolina, and he currently resides on James Island with his girlfriend, Melanie, who has been instrumental in his recovery. In June, Jack had the reparative surgery and, roughly eight months later, he continues to convalesce. It has been a difficult and sobering year, one that has forced Jack to reevaluate almost all of his daily routines. Especially those that impact his ability to maintain an independent, self-reliant lifestyle.

Time for fundamental changes:

The manual wheelchair that Jack has used for years will no longer be a daily option for Jack. Not only has he needed an automated, power wheelchair, but these types of chairs—which are heavier and less maneuverable than their manual counterparts—require specifically modified vans to accommodate them.

The new necessity: a customized van:

Thankfully, Jack’s insurance company covered the expense of his power chair, but it will not cover the cost of transportation requirements, such as the need for a modified van. For a person as strong and fearless as Jack, that has been a tough pill to swallow, both psychologically and financially. The middle-of-the-road price for one of these vans is in the $80,000 range.

Our Go-Fund-Me ask for Jack is to cover his total expenses for this type of van. Here's how the costs break down:

But enough with our trying to describe the situation, here is Jack, in his own words, explaining what happened in 2023:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MjmmC0wrT8

Hidden from view:

In case you're wondering why, in this video, Jack mentioned that he got up at 3:30 in the morning on the day following his shoulder injury—that's no anomaly; he must get up that early every work day. It takes Jack three and a half to four hours to get ready for and travel to work.

Who is Jack Porter, anyway?

Jack was born on November 5, 1962. He grew up in Putnam Valley, New York, located in the majestic Hudson Valley. He was the second youngest of six siblings. Eric, Tom, Sue, Joan, and Brian preceded him—while brother, Kenny, came after. Jack was a typically active kid; he enjoyed swimming, skiing, fishing, and playing soccer. His mother, Lora, was the town librarian, so Jack naturally developed a healthy love for books.

Tragedy hits home:

An otherwise happy childhood was permanently altered on July 30, 1971 when Jack's father, Thomas Porter, died in a work accident. Thomas was a professional electrician who typically worked on Broadway. On that fateful day, he was helping prepare Madison Square Garden for the Concert for Bangladesh when he tragically fell to his death from the heights of scaffold rigging. It was a dark day the family would never forget. Jack was just eight years old.

Meeting Jack:

Jack graduated from Peekskill High School in 1980, and proceeded to Colgate University, in Hamilton, New York. This is where we, the undersigned, first met him. We were assigned dorm rooms on the first and third floors of West Andrews. David and Kevin were in Jack's suite: Room 106. David has never forgotten the moment he first met Jack. "Jack had just finished setting up his stereo when he saw me enter. He popped up with a big smile and said, 'Hi, I’m Jack. I brought my stereo from home. You can play it whenever you want!' His tone and his manner clearly communicated, 'I’m going all in on this college thing, and you are too!'"

A smart and gentle soul:

At Colgate, Jack was universally liked, generous to a fault, and possessed a guile-free intelligence we all found disarming. He was also wickedly funny and disarmingly self-deprecating. On the learning front, Jack thought he was going to major in math, but the classes he liked most were in the political science department. This would prove telling for his career.

At the end of our freshman year, our group scattered somewhat, as we joined various fraternities, or moved off campus. Jack chose to join the DKE Fraternity (Delta Kappa Epsilon), where he met a collection of eclectic but harmless knuckleheads. Through it all, however, the knuckleheads Jack seemed to gravitate toward the most were those of us he had met as freshmen.

That terrible summer:

Jack's diving accident occurred in the summer of 1982. It was obviously beyond devastating for Jack, his family, and his friends. We won't belabor the details, but, truly, it was like a private version of 9/11 for us; we each remember exactly where we were when we got the word. But our pain was nothing compared to all that Jack was going through, and would continue to go through for months, and then years.

The upward spiral:

Although Jack's recovery was long and arduous, remarkably, he never complained or got down. In fact, he was more humorous than ever—and laser-focused on the future. He was determined to return to Colgate and graduate, and—after missing just one year—that's precisely what he did.

International man of intrigue:

After graduating from Colgate, Jack completed a Masters of International Affairs at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, in 1990. From 1991-1993, Jack was a Presidential Management Intern in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, US Department of Defense. While there, he worked in the Joint Staff during Operation Desert Storm.

Researching Germany's armed forces:

Jack continued his graduate studies in Political Science and International Relations at the University of California, Berkeley. For his doctorate dissertation, he lived in Germany for one year (Sept, '97 to Aug, '98) to conduct field research of the German armed forces. In 2004, Jack received his PhD in Political Science. Since that time, Dr. Jack Porter has been a university professor at The Citadel, in their Political Science Department. Now tenured, Jack teaches a range of courses—including International Law, US National Security Policy, International Terrorism, International Politics, Theories of Peace & War, and more.

The Intrepid Traveler:

Jack's career has seen him travel extensively throughout the US, and to numerous countries—25 in all—including South Africa, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Israel, Greece, Spain, and Canada, to name a few. Jack has conducted all of this travel without an assistant or aide.

Our personal hero (just don't tell him or he'll roll his eyes):

By now, it should be clear that we all think the world of Jack. Simply put, he's as good as people get. Period. We loved him from the start, but through his ordeals, and his indomitable strength, Jack has taught us life lessons that made each of us stronger, richer, and wiser. And though the needs expressed in this Go-Fund-Me are all too real for our friend, the truth is that this moment has helped focus our thinking. Jack's current situation has inspired us to do what we should have done years ago: share his story with the wider world.

Now that we—in some small way—have done that, we urge you to give what you can. Your money is going to a really good cause and an even finer human being.

Sincerely,

Andy, Bill, David, Eric, Kevin, Jim S., Jim M., Joe, Jon, Mike, and Warren

AKA: Krameire, Mano, Batty, Twitch, Premier, Wa, Mannie, Mazz, Nu, Smitty, and WoMo — AKA: Club 14