As I mentioned yesterday, I’m a typical, imperfect guy. I get upset about things, I do some things right and some things wrong. I was on the verge of calling off Operation Jack because I didn’t think I was strong enough mentally to handle this. Physically, I’m not worried. Mentally, I am.
But yesterday, it became clear to me that even if I don’t have what it takes to handle this mentally, I have great support from all over the country and since I know y’all won’t let me down, I won’t let you down, either.
I’d also like to say that I misinterpreted a few things late last week and misjudged some people as a result of that. To those of you I’m talking about (and you, too, D), I apologized to you yesterday, I meant it, and I still mean it. You guys are good people. Anyways, I’m not going to go into much more than that.
I said yesterday that it would be my last blog for a little while, until I finish The Project, but I changed my mind and I wanted to leave something else up here that’s a little more positive.
Operation Jack is going to be my attempt, in my son Jack’s honor, to get lots and lots of people across the country to make a difference. As I blog throughout this journey, I’m going to do everything I can to introduce you to Jack. For those of you who don’t know him, he’s about six weeks shy of his 6th birthday. He’s severely autistic, and he’s a total sweetheart.
I wanted to show you his newest thing. He LOVES to watch the same Caillou tape over and over and over. He hops up on the chair and rewinds it and as you can hear, he tries to recite some of the lines. This clip was taken July 27, 2009.
Hopefully, you’ll be able to watch him progress throughout the next 17 months. I’m excited that you all will get to know him.
Ice Cream Update
Peanut butter fudge swirl last night, 41 straight days with ice cream or frozen yogurt! Yeah!
Spread The Word
Help me get people here! If you’re a fan on Facebook, recommend the page to any of your friends who might be interested (there’s a link right below Jack’s picture in the column on the left). If you’re not, be a fan! And if you’re on Twitter, you can follow me at @operationjack.
I really, truly think I’m signing off for the next couple of weeks or so. I’m looking forward to my next blog, because they’re fun to write and it’ll mean that my project is done. Until then, thank you all for being so supportive. I say this a lot, but I really, really appreciate it.
tricia smith says
Your son is just adorable ! I am so happy to be a part of Operation Jack. I look forward to seeing Jack progress over the next year and thank you for sharing with us. This is a wonderful thing you are doing to raise awareness about autism.
Molly Rearick says
You and your family are an inspiration, and you are doing great things!
Desiree Atkin says
I have never heard of Calilou… but after watching that video I might go buy it!! =) Jack is so adorable!
adair renning says
Sam, you are an amazing person, and the challenge you are undertaking, by running 60 marathons in a year, is something I don\\\’t think everyone can appreciate.
We are also the parents of a child with autism. Asia is 28 now, but how well I remember when she was 5 and I didn\\\’t know if she would ever talk. I would sometimes forget she was in the car, she was so quiet.
Asia joined our family through adoption when she was barely 2 years old. We loved her in spite of/because of the fact that the agency said she had \\\”autistic-like\\\” tendencies.
But over time we learned the treatments that worked to help her, the ones that didn\\\’t, and that there were some things just couldn\\\’t be fixed.
Asia is now a marathon runner. How she got there is another story. She has friends, she has a job, she is a member of a team, and she is a joy to those who know her.
When she was young, we did a lot of benefit dinners and other events to raise money for adoption, Korean orphanages, and later, autism and treatments for children with autism. I learned early on that these things tend to take on a life of their own, and turn into something wondrous. I suspect that Project Jack will do the same.
Even though none of your races are close to us, I hope that we will be able to contribute in some way, along the way.
Best wishes,
Adair, Jerry, and Asia Renning
Andrew Cameron-Smith says
The video of Jack is so like our son Harry who is four and a half and on the autistic spectrum.
He used to be obsessed with “Pingu” but now views and operates a number of DVD’s and is now beginning to master Wii. His knowledge of technology is really impressive.
We have just bought him an itouch which we have loaded with a number of educational applications which is proving good for his language as well as calming him down in some public situations.
Admire the plans for Operation Jack – will follow with interest via the blog and on Twitter from here in the UK.