Jacob is a bright, determined 17-year-old who was healthy, active, and looking forward to his future. On November 14, his life changed dramatically when a football injury caused severe pancreatic and splenic lacerations. What started as a sports injury quickly became life-threatening when Jacob developed necrotizing pancreatitis.

He underwent a stent placement and placement of a peripancreatic cyst drain, but serious complications followed when the drain perforated his colon—an injury that went undiscovered for several days. During that time, his abdomen became severely infected, requiring emergency surgery and six additional abdominal surgeries. Jacob now has a temporary colostomy to allow his colon to heal and spent nearly two weeks in the ICU on a ventilator, fighting for his life. He is only now beginning to recover and remembers very little from the past several weeks.

Throughout this ordeal, Jacob’s family has remained by his side while facing mounting medical expenses and lost income. Funds raised will help cover the cost of his extensive medical care, future rehabilitation once he is able to return home, and income lost while his family has been at the hospital. Additionally, because Jacob has been unable to work or save for college, your support can help him pursue his dream of studying aerospace engineering at the University of Kansas this fall.

Jacob is an intelligent, resilient young man who has spent much of the last month and a half of his senior year in a hospital room, much of it fighting for his life.

We humbly ask for your support to help Jacob and his family through this challenging time so they can focus on healing and bringing him home. Your kindness and generosity will make a meaningful difference.