NEO Baseball Team Makes A SPECIAL Memory for Kipling "Kip" Jacksonby: Jennifer Necessary, Executive Director, The ALS Association-Arkansas Chapter, Inc. On Sunday afternoon, April 17, 2016 the NEO Baseball Team and Coaching Staff from Miami, OK made a very special memory for ALS patient, Kip Jackson of Little Rock, AR. NEO played a double header against Arkansas Baptist and Kip was able to attend the games along with his wife, Robin and his sister, Julie. I was in town also along with my husband, Jeff to watch our son,
Chad Musteen play. Chad is a sophomore at NEO.
When Kip was asked a few weeks ago if he would want to come to watch the games, he immediately said YES and was so excited and counted down the days. Coach
Roger Ward was all about making the afternoon special for Kip by having his team surround him for a group photo. This proved to be the ultimate joy for Kip. When the team headed back off to the field for their second game, Kip began to cry…his tears were tears of utmost appreciation for the team's attention, love, and support.
Kip was diagnosed with ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) almost four years ago. Kip is 45 years old and is paralyzed from the neck down and breaths through a trach. Kip has to communicate with a Tobi Speaking Device. Unfortunately for the team, Kip couldn't speak to them as the glare from the sun on his machine wasn't allowing the appropriate calibration of his eyes. Kip is very diligent with his speaking device and is also a "go to" ALS patient when other pALS (person living with ALS) are having trouble with their units. He writes music, and is in the process of writing his first novel entitled "Watching You" to be available on Amazon in the very near future. It's a true testament of determination, as he can't speak or write so the entire novel was written using eye movement.
ALS has no treatment, no cure, and no survivors. The average lifespan after diagnosis is two to five years. ALS interferes with the motor neurons from the brain to the spinal cord and to the body's muscles. As the disease progresses, the muscles melt away like a candle. Their ability to speak, eat, move or breathe are stricken from them.
Kip is an avid sports fanatic. He loves baseball and spends a lot of time during baseball season watching games on TV.
Pictured from right: NEO Head Coach,
Roger Ward, Kip Jackson, Chad
Musteen and NEO Assistant Baseball Pitching Coach, Jamie Williams
A huge shout out to the NEO coaches and players for making Sunday a "Dream to Reality" for Kip to come and spend the afternoon at the ballpark cheering you on through his eyes!! It was a day he will never forget. In an instant messenger message to me this morning, below was his personal message to the coaches and team
… "Since I have to watch baseball on TV and I often forget how awesome the game is in person….please pass a heartfelt thanks to the NEO coaches and team for the picture, and some entertaining baseball" !!! – Kipling Jackson 4/18/16
