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Jack Baker Tribute |
| Tributes to brave teenager with cerebral palsy |
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 Replies: 6 — Last Post Sep. 2, 2008 12:37am by Erin15
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Web Resources: Teen Pregnancy Facts, Abortion Facts
USA Youth Crisis Hotline: 1-800-448-4663
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( d a n n o 93 )
Grasshopper
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The parents of Jack Baker, a teenager with cerebral palsy who died on 15 August, 2008, say his short life was full of colour and joy.
Jack died four years after parents Martin and Tina were first told his condition would cut short his life.
The 16-year-old could not walk, speak or eat solid food but his father said he was always smiling and happy.
Mr Baker, 41, said: "His life was full of colour, full of joy and, even though he was in a lot of pain, he smiled.
"I feel very privileged to have had 16 years with him and to have been his father.
"We always thought he would be really poorly, go on a ventilator and slowly slip away but he didn't want that.
"He passed away in his sleep so we wouldn't have to worry. I'm a true believer in that."
Jack had a mental age of about two and his only real form of communication was through his eyes and his facial expressions.
He had frequent epileptic seizures, scoliosis of the spine and a pneumonia-like condition of the left lung which made him breathless. Osteoporosis in his hips and legs caused him constant pain.
Mrs Baker, 38, used to care for her son but, as a result of damaged discs in her back, she was no longer able to lift him, so Mr Baker took over nine years ago.
He was responsible for feeding and changing his son and making sure he got around 15 separate medicines a day, as well as giving him oxygen for his breathlessness.
Mr Baker, who lives with his wife in Nettlefold Crescent, Melbourne, said: "I was incredibly close to Jack. He had
such a busy routine that now I feel like I've been made redundant.
"I feel very empty."
The couple have tried for a second baby for 16 years, during which time Mrs Baker has had four miscarriages, a
premature baby who died, and an abortion because of severe deformity.
But now she is 26 weeks pregnant and said it was as though her son had waited for it to happen before he died on Friday (15) last week.
She said: "Jack thought it was his time to pass on and give us our time with baby.
"Last Friday, we got up at about 3am to give him a kiss and a cuddle and turned him on to his side and then we went back to bed.
"When Martin got up later that morning, he realised Jack had died in his sleep."
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R.I.P Jack "JB" Baker
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 LiveWire Humor
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( d a n n o 93 )
Grasshopper
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Image on the way needs to be approved.
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R.I.P Jack "JB" Baker
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