TEN…It is a big deal.

“And what would you intend to find?  
Solitude? Your peace of mind?
Holding out for something less
Than touching the hand of God?”
–Kevin Griffin, Better Than Ezra.  “Closer”

The video is an oldie but goodie and the song that accompanies it was written about a new Dad experiencing fatherhood for the first time.  We played it often when we were expecting each of our children.  Kevin is a supporter of Jack and if you listen to the words I think you will agree that he does a great job of capturing the emotions of what it means to be a new parent.

If you have children or if you once were one, than you know moving into the “double digits” is a big thing!  My oldest, Jack is going to be TEN on Saturday.  It makes me feel old because I am old. Jack has informed me approximately 3,618 times over the past few months that he will be TEN.  He has told me how many days until he is TEN. He asked me several times to calculate how many hours and minutes until he is TEN.  It is funny how many of us stop getting excited about our birthdays at some point and come to loath the day and what it tells us. Kids, and Jack is no different, embrace it!  They are giddy, joyful and excited.

Birthdays were celebrated in my home growing up too.  Mom ALWAYS made the cake and it was awesome.  I remember one late summer in particular when the City of Medford had a crew repairing my street.  Apparently the guys let me hang around the site (imagine that today), befriended me and allowed me to go to “work” everyday.  Yellow hard hat. Lunch break. The works.  I also remember my birthday that year. It was in the back yard and the vision of these big, burly guys walking into the party to celebrate with a few of my friends and me.  This has to be over 40 years ago.  They bought me a metal TONKA dump truck.  Yellow with a green bed that had a lever you pushed and the hydraulic pump slowly lifted the bed up to dump out the contents.  Still one of the best gifts I have ever received, ever.  More importantly, they gave me their gift of friendship, kindness and acknowledged I was important to them.  I think it helped me feel good about myself and maybe more confident too. That birthday was a big deal.  But enough about that.

When Beth and I were planning Jack’s birthday for this year we discussed many options and ideas and then we were going to share them with Jack. Then we wanted to hear some of his ideas. In the end, and with his input, we are having a celebration.  TEN is a big deal.  Over the past 2 weeks or so I have been reflecting on this day.  I think back to September of 2013 when Jack first got diagnosed with a brain stem glioma.  He wasn’t quite NINE at that point.  It was not too hard to remember the many, many days and nights of chemo, post-chemo sickness, days in bed with fatigue, headaches, moodiness, anger, frustration and sadness he was experiencing.  I couldn’t fix it.  I also remembered the places my thoughts sometimes would take me and I hated that too.  So, we are having a birthday celebration. We determined he deserves it.

In the 4 short years we have been working with CureNFwithJack and through his work and your support, Jack has raised closed to $750,000 for NF research and has supported the Childrens Tumor Foundation.  So we are going to have a great day for Jack.  I have been fortunate to have married Beth and to have three great children.  They are a gift.  The friends, family and acquaintances that have made Jack’s battle their own are a gift. The nurses, doctors, research scientists, fundraisers, administrators, organizers and donors I have come to know are a gift.  The famous and infamous that have joined our fight are a gift.  I have come to think of you all as “Jack’s crew” like the one I had all those years ago.  They made a life long impression on me and a huge impact too.  That’s what you have done and continue to do and the stakes are much higher than what they were for me in 1972.  I know that and you know that.  You are his crew.  You give him hope, encouragement, joy and love.

The gift that Jack has given to me is immeasurable.  He has shown me my own humanity and mortality in a way no other person ever has or will.  He has shown others (I have been told countless times) how to be brave and strong in the most adverse of times.  He has shown me humor when nothing, absolutely nothing, was funny.  He has shown me grace in the face of ignorance.  He has shown me tenacity when there was not much more fight to muster.  He has shown me valor.  He has shown me how to be confident in spite of how others may perceive you.  

In TEN short years, Jack has given me more than I can ever pay back.  So, on Saturday we will celebrate the life he has lived thus far.  I will, at some point stop and observe him and with great gratitude be thankful that I am with him. I am thankful for him and the many gifts he has given me and to others.  I will think of my crew and of all of you, Jack’s crew. You are all much better than that priceless TONKA truck. I’ll take the gifts you have given him any day.  It is a BIG deal.  Thank you Jack O’Brien Burke.

Don’t forget Cupids Undie Run is coming to your town!  Jack has 10 teams across the country!  Join one or donate to a runner by clicking here:

Tomorrow there is HOPE and you are among the reasons why.  Don’t ever forget that fact. EVER

Jake, Beth, Jack, Luke and Grace