On
Wednesday, Jacob put up the bravest Instagram post I’ve ever seen from him. In
it, he talked about how cystic fibrosis has not only affected his physical
health, but his mental health. This took courage because this young man is only
17.
Throughout
the years, he’s struggled with what it’s like to have CF, and what it MEANS to
CF. So much of his life has been defined by being Jacob Malchus, the son, the
cousin, the best friend, that boy in school or church who has CF, he wondered
what it would mean not to have something that has been a part of him for his
entire life, even though it’s a chronic illness.
That’s
a pretty tough question, one that most adults would have difficulty answering,
let alone a teenager.
Being his father, I’ve witnessed Jacob’s struggles first
hand. I’ve lost count the number of times I wished I could reach in and remove CF
from his body. It’s every parent’s dream that their child stays healthy.
On their way home from the hospital the other day, Julie
asked Jacob if he would take away having CF. His response was surprising: he
said that he wasn’t sure. Would he be the same? And then he said something so gracious.
Jacob said that he would keep CF if it meant someone else wasn’t born with it.
When I hear Jacob’s wonderful statements, and I read at his recent
social media posts, I realize that I’m seeing my son mature into a young man. I’ve
watched this before with Jacob’s sister, Sophie, and how she has grown into a
remarkable woman, one who’s going to change the world (mark my word). Now I’m
witnessing the same transformation in my son.
I’m so proud of him (both of them) and I’m constantly
questioning “Who is this kid?” I know that I wasn’t as respectful and composed
as he was when I was 17. All I thought about were music, movies and girls. I
know that Jacob has his own passions (comics, video games), but he also has a
maturity that I never did.
The future is bright for Jacob and people with cystic
fibrosis, something that wasn’t said in the 1980s, before the CF gene was
discovered. We’re so close to a cure. I hope you’re like me and you can’t wait
to see what Jacob does when he’s 27, 37, and beyond. This is one special young
man.
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