Miracles Never Cease
Catching up with Jack Enright
Four years ago in March, on the lacrosse field of Chapin High School, tragedy struck. Jack Enright, Chapin High School’s lacrosse Midfielder collided with an opponent in exactly the wrong way, fell to the ground in a heap, and did not get up. Unless you have just recently moved to Chapin, you know the rest. Jack’s C6 vertebrae had broken, and he was told he had a 10% chance of ever walking again.
Chapin rallied behind Jack and his family. There were fundraisers, donations, bake sales, prayer circles, silent auctions and a GoFundMe page. Athletic associations and gyms in and around Chapin had races, kickball games, spin-a-thons, competitions, and yes, even meditations in Jack’s name, giving proceeds to aid in his medical bills. Restaurants had dinners; musicians gave concerts, and countless local businesses gave portions of their proceeds to aid with Jack Enright’s medical bills and recovery.
The press was massive. Newspapers, TV Stations and magazines, some local and some national featured Jack’s story, thus inspiring even more fundraising across state lines, throughout the lacrosse community and across the country, all of which helped to fund his medical needs and ultimately his recovery. It’s unlikely that any of Chapin’s residents have ever witnessed such a large group of people band together so quickly, so fiercely, and so single-mindedly, to aid a single person.
And as most of you know, a miracle did occur. Jack defied the odds, and was able to stand and start walking exercises in therapy, after just 5 months. But what many people may not realize though, is that according to Jack, there were several factors leading up to that miracle, which were an integral part of it.
I had the pleasure of talking with Jack who is now a junior at Clemson, majoring in General Management. We talked on the phone for over an hour about his accident, his life today, his hopes for the future, and the very definition of miracle.
Jack is just like many other college kids. He has good friends with whom he spends his time. He reads a lot and he studies hard. (He has a 3.6 GPA, and he refers to statistics and calculus as “fun.”) He loves generating ideas and figuring out ways to solve problems, especially in group settings, and he hopes to do exactly that as a manager in the healthcare industry one day. He is a member of the social fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, and is their acting Secretary.
Jack loves Clemson. It’s close enough to Chapin to easily go home when he wants to, but it’s far enough away to be away. His brother Connor, with whom Jack is very close, is Jack’s roommate in their off-campus apartment. Jack loves his major and his frat. He is curious by nature and therefore, quite knowledgeable about a wide variety of subjects, some of which we briefly touched upon including stem cell research, the NFL’s Patriots and even the awesomeness of fungi. He thrives off learning new things in school and from a variety of outside sources including The Joe Rogan Experience podcast.
Today, Jack acknowledges that yes, a miracle happened. It was actually a series of miracles, which happened consecutively that brought him to where he is today. For starters, the simple fact that his mother was present at the game, from the moment of tragedy and able to immediately give her consent to the care Jack was to receive had a huge effect on his recovery. Jack was taken to the Palmetto Health’s Richland Trauma Center and within 8 hours, had successful surgery with Dr. Seth Molloy—an excellent surgeon. The swiftness and type of treatment implemented immediately after a spinal injury is critical to recovery, especially when surgery is involved. His surgery was a success. A miracle.
Jack was accepted into the Shepherd Center, in Atlanta GA, where he stayed for over five months. Looking back today, to Jack, this feels miraculous. He stayed at the Shepherd Center much longer than the average patient because he continued to work so hard and show such progress. It’s a miracle that, after being given only a 10% chance to walk, he was practicing doing exactly that in therapy at the Shepherd Center.
For Jack, the way the Chapin community came together and donated their time, efforts and funds so Jack could get the treatment he needed was miraculous. “I’m just a kid from a small town. But at every moment, there have been so many people out there thinking about me, doing things for me. It’s all the motivation I need,” he once said.
When I spoke with Jack, he made a point of telling me that there is no direct correlation of progress from any one type of therapy. Therapies work in synergy. Jack has had exosome therapy; he has used hyperbaric oxygen therapy, infrared laser therapy. He has had countless hours of physical therapy, and because he is relentless in his mission to recover, he also works out on his own, at the gym; practicing what he learned in physical therapy to further strengthen his weakened muscles. The combination of these treatments, the very availability of them, Jack’s hard work, his positive mindset and the community support all came together to create another miracle.
Today, Jack has no problem with weight-bearing activities. He still has some balance challenges, but is able to get around with forearm crutches, only needing one for shorter distances. Some tasks take a little longer than average for him to accomplish, and with certain tasks, he might need a bit of help, but life is certainly more than manageable; and knowing that his efforts and improvements are being watched by much of Chapin keeps Jack motivated.
“When I’m tired or not feeling like doing my exercises, I stop and tell myself, ‘look, there are so many people who wish they could be where you are.’…I think it would be a slap in the faces of everyone else if I didn’t keep pushing myself. I want to take advantage of the second chance that so many people have worked to give me.” To Jack, satisfaction equals complacency. “I have this Never-Be-Satisfied mentality because it will slow me down and prevent me from wanting to be better,” he says.
Jack believes that living in Chapin made a huge difference to his recovery. Many people wrote him letters and made him posters and prayed for him… He never doubted that he could recover because of the support he received. People never allowed him to doubt himself.
The Pray For Jack wristbands sold hundreds. He still wears his today—not to promote himself, but to remember the support he got from Chapin. All of Chapin had their part in his journey. And if Jack gives up, he is giving up on all of them. He will never give up, in part, because of Chapin.
There are a lot of people in our town and far beyond who have never actually met Jack, but were moved by his story. For me–– a person whose faith is somewhat “selective”–– and for others like me, Jack is the poster boy for modern miracles. His story reminds us that miracles do happen.
He is also evidence that a positive mindset, hard work and perseverance are the basis upon which dreams are fulfilled. And through Jack’s hard work, through every literal and figurative step he takes toward recovery, the people of Chapin benefit as well, with stronger (and for some, perhaps new or restored) faith.
In nature, there are countless symbiotic relationships. Bees cannot thrive without the flowers’ nectar, and flowers cannot thrive without bees to distribute their pollen. Clownfish live within the protective tentacles of the sea anemone, and the sea anemone, in return, receives cleaning and protection... Perhaps the people of Chapin need Jack to recover, just as much as Jack needs Chapin to believe in his progress—in order for us all to thrive. Perhaps the real miracle is found in the steadfast belief in each other.
This Spring, as we experience again the season of rebirth, when the birds are chirping, and the grass is turning bright green; when baby animals are scurrying about and the crocuses are sprouting; whether it is in a church, or on the lake, in the quiet of the woods or in the noise of traffic, perhaps we could all take a moment to send prayers, good vibes, positive energy, hope for healing, or whatever it is you like to call them to anyone overcoming a challenge. Regardless of how you might choose to label these spoken or silent messages, they are undoubtedly an integral part of someone’s miracle. Maybe even unbeknownst to you, yours.
