"On October 12th, 2013, our world changed forever when Jackson suffered a devastating dirt biking accident that would test our family's strength and faith in ways we never imagined."

"The first terrifying hours unfolded through frantic messages as Marisa updated family from the hospital."

"When we got to the hospital we were so worried. What made it worse was when we were greeted by the chaplain. When I saw him I prepared for the worst. I figured the only time the chaplain takes family in a private room to talk is when there is bad news. Fortunately he was just there for support and didn't have any news to deliver."

"But Jackson's battle was just beginning. He remained unconscious, intubated to help him breathe. Marisa texted through the night: 'Not awake yet. Keeps kind of trying' and 'Intubated. To breathe.' By early morning he was barely able to follow commands from the nurse — but it was enough that they took the breathing tube out. He is out again, totally exhausted."

"The accident had caused what I described to others as Jackson getting 'his bell rung big time' — but the reality was far more serious. In reality he had suffered a traumatic brain injury and had bleeding on the brain and shearing of the brain tissue."

"I told Todd D.: 'Right now he's like Dori from Finding Nemo. Has hardly any short-term memory. It's wild.' The comparison to '50 First Dates' became another way to help people understand what we were witnessing."

The First Breakthroughs

"October 14th brought the first real breakthrough. Marisa texted excitedly — he had just had a tiny conversation with the nurse, said a couple sentences, said his back hurts."

"Later that day, more progress. The neurosurgeon visited. I asked him some questions and he answered. We got Jackson some food to see if he could nibble. I asked what show was on and he said SpongeBob. I asked what hurts the most and he said his ribs."

"The medical picture became clearer. Jackson would need specialized care at Scottish Rite for 're-entry therapy to help him retrain his brain on some things.'"

Small Victories

"By October 16th, we moved out of the ICU to room 337. Jackson was awake and talking more, but it might be slow going. The most heartbreaking aspect was his memory of the accident: no memory of it. His head is really hurting him. Asking for meds."

"Jax couldn't remember anything longer than 15 seconds. He would ask the same questions over and over and over again. He could remember before the accident, but nothing since. I was so afraid that he would just be stuck at 15 years old forever."

"Small victories marked our days. Marisa reported: 'Remembered who visited him last night. That is the first time he has remembered visitors. Balance is better today.' Jackson even caught the attention of a GA Club that supports rehab — lots of cute college girls. He colored with them and they heard him playing the piano."

"The memory issues remained the biggest challenge. As Marisa described: 'He might not remember he asked something or said something. He is so ready to leave because he feels fine — and he doesn't know what he doesn't remember, so it is frustrating to him.'"

Fighting Back

"By late October, six weeks after the accident, we saw steady improvement. I told Todd D.: 'Better every day. He's remembering more and more. Taking it one day at a time.' Marisa's updates became more hopeful: 'He is a little better every day. He is still fun to hang with!'"

"The journey was far from over, but Jackson was fighting his way back. His personality began to emerge again, and while the road to full recovery remained uncertain, our faith in his resilience grew stronger each day."