Elijah is the son of Catreaba Shannon and the late Willie Jackson “Pedro”. Elijah is a graduate of Gadsden County High School, Class of 2024. On November 18, 2024, Elijah Jackson became a victim of gun violence. Elijah was walking and was shot multiple times from behind. God had angels encamped around him. We have yet to meet the nurse that was helping him prior to the ambulance arriving. God performed a miracle that night at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Elijah did not have a pulse. But GOD! Elijah was given a second chance. That first night felt like a lifetime, he was in surgery for hours, the initial surgery was to repair his carotid artery. Two additional major surgeries were an above the knee amputation of his right leg due to the significant damage and partial removal of the right skull due to the brain injury/swelling. He had a total of seven surgeries. Elijah was also on a ventilator for five weeks while at TMH.

On January 10, 2025, he was transferred to Kindred Hospital North Florida in Green Cove Springs, Florida. While there he received awesome therapy and wound care treatment. Elijah’s vision improved in his right eye, started learning how to sit in a chair, reading flash cards, writing his name and started talking. On March 11 he was transferred to Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital – University Campus. They have been phenomenal and seeing his progress has been an amazing sight to see. Elijah is slowly gaining strength on his left side along with therapy focusing on the right side as well. Unfortunately, we were notified that his insurance will only approve and cover a total of two weeks of therapy, but he needed at least a total of four weeks. They will have to discharge Elijah home on Wednesday 26, 2025. The case manager informed us that without insurance approval to continue therapy, it will be an out-of-pocket expense. The cost for therapy and care is $2,000 a day. As a family we are coming together to help but will still need additional financial support for him to continue therapy. We are reaching out to our community and surrounding communities asking for help so that Elijah may continue therapy at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital.

You may donate here, or you may donate directly to Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital (the contact person is Louise McEahern, Case Manager [phone redacted]).

Keep Elijah in your prayers!!

Thank you for your support, love and prayers!