Our Amazing Jack

For those who don’t know Jack, we want you to know the remarkable young man behind this story.

Jack is a young man of deep faith who loves Jesus, loves his family and friends, and has an incredible passion for life. He is a student at Austin Christian University, where he has been building an exciting future as a young entrepreneur.

Over the last two years, Jack founded his own clothing line, Jack Douglas, turning his creativity and entrepreneurial drive into a business. Just days before this accident, Jack won ACU’s university business pitch competition and was preparing to represent the university at a competition in Colorado in two weeks.

That’s Jack. He is a builder, a dreamer, an entrepreneur, an incredible friend, and a young man whose faith is at the center of his life. He has so much ahead of him.

What Happened

On Friday night, Jack was spending time with fellow university students at a local lake in the Austin area. Later that evening, while everyone was enjoying time together, Jack dove from a dock into what turned out to be shallow water.

In an instant, everything changed.

Jack struck his head and suffered catastrophic injuries to his neck and spinal cord, including a severe injury at C2, fractured C7 with spinal cord damage. The impact immediately rendered him unconscious, and he was underwater for approximately 30 seconds. When he was pulled from the water, he was not breathing and had no pulse. CPR was immediately performed, and Jack was ultimately transported by ambulance to the hospital.

Today, Jack remains in very serious condition and is currently experiencing paralysis of all four limbs. He has significant medical challenges ahead, including surgery this week, and his doctors are working to stabilize him and determine the full extent of his injuries.

It is simply too early to know what Jack’s long-term recovery will look like.

But if you know Jack, you know that giving up isn’t in his DNA. And if you know his family, you know where they are placing their faith.

We are believing and praying for a miracle.

We are praying for healing in Jack’s spinal cord, for movement and sensation to return, for wisdom for every physician caring for him, and for strength for Jack and his family through every step ahead. We don’t know what God’s plan looks like yet, but we know that Jack will be surrounded by an army of people who love him, pray for him and will fight alongside him.

The Road Ahead

While we are believing for the very best possible outcome, we also know that an enormous journey lies ahead.

Once Jack is medically stable and able to leave the hospital, we expect the next phase of his recovery to include intensive spinal cord and neurological rehabilitation, potentially at a specialized program in Dallas or Houston. The goal will be simple: give Jack every possible opportunity to recover as much strength, movement, function and independence as possible.

Insurance will cover portions of Jack’s medical care, but an injury of this magnitude creates significant expenses that insurance does not coveror does not cover fully. Those needs may continue for months or years, and right now we simply cannot know everything Jack will require.

How Your Support Will Help Jack

Funds raised for Jack will help his family with the extraordinary costs associated with his treatment, rehabilitation and recovery, including:

* Specialized spinal cord and neurological rehabilitation, physical therapy and occupational therapy

* Additional intensive therapies beyond what insurance will authorize or cover

* Medical deductibles, copays, medications, supplies and other uncovered medical expenses

* Temporary housing for Jack’s family if his rehabilitation requires relocating to Dallas or Houston

* Travel, transportation, meals, parking and living expenses so his family can remain by his side throughout rehabilitation

* Specialized medical, rehabilitation and mobility equipment

* Professional caregiving and home-health support that may be required following rehabilitation

* Accessible transportation and, if necessary, modifications to his home and living environment

* Assistive technology and other resources that can help Jack achieve the greatest possible independence

* Other unforeseen medical and recovery-related expenses that arise throughout Jack’s recovery

There is so much that we simply don’t know yet. What we do know is that we never want financial limitations to stand between Jack and a treatment, therapy, technology or opportunity that could help his recovery.

For those who are able to give, thank you. Your generosity will allow Jack’s family to focus their energy where it belongs, on Jack.

For those who cannot give financially, we ask for something every bit as important: please pray for Jack. Pray boldly. Pray specifically. Pray for healing, for movement, for strength, for his medical team and for the miracle we are all believing for.

And please share Jack’s story so that we can build an army around this incredible young man. Jack has spent his young life dreaming about what he could build and what his future could become.

What we do know is that we have an incredible faith in God, and we are believing for a complete miracle in Jack’s life. We trust that God is with Jack, guiding his medical team, strengthening his family and working in ways we cannot yet see. We will continue to pray, believe for a miracle and stand together for Jack every step of the way.

Now it is our turn to stand behind Jack and help him fight for that future.