Next month, alum Darcey Hawrylciw of Dover, New Hampshire, will be joining Tedy’s Team at the Falmouth Road Race, for the second year in a row, to run in honor of her oldest son, Jackson.

Next month, alum Darcey Hawrylciw of Dover, New Hampshire, will be joining Tedy’s Team at the Falmouth Road Race, for the second year in a row, to run in honor of her oldest son, Jackson.

“Tedy’s Team is a cause that is near and dear to my heart, as I continue to raise my very own pediatric stroke hero,” Darcey said.

In July of 2012, Darcey and her husband, Greg, welcomed their first child, Jackson. Everything was fine until he hit 6 months old, and they started to notice that he was only using his left arm when rolling over and grabbing things.

At his 9-month check-up, Darcey brought it up to their pediatrician, who recognized that something was wrong, and ordered an MRI. When the MRI came back, it was discovered that Jackson had suffered a stroke in-utero, which left him with right sided hemi-paresis.

Jackson started Physical Therapy (PT) at 9 months old, and still does PT and Occupational Therapy (OT) multiple times a week. He recently turned 10 years old, and is a big brother to his two siblings, Nolan, and Emmalyn.

Despite having limited use of his right side, especially his arm, Jackson pitches on his town baseball team and even made the All-Star Team.

“Jackson continues to amaze me each and every day,” explained Darcey. “He is a kind friend, a hard worker, he has a big heart, and he loves baseball.”

As a left-handed pitcher, Jackson learned to pitch similar to Jim Abbot, who was a left-handed Major League Baseball Pitcher who played with a disability to his right arm. When he pitches, Jackson tucks his glove under his right arm, pitches with his left hand, and then puts the glove on his left hand after the pitch to be ready for the play.

Even during the winter months, when the baseball season is over, Jackson is working hard, playing hours of wall ball to practice getting his glove back on his hand quicker after the throw.

“Nothing gets him down,” Darcey said. “I wish everyone had his motivation and his positive attitude.”

Darcey will be hitting the pavement on August 21^st in Falmouth with us as a part of our finalFalmouth Road Race team. To support her fundraising efforts, please visit: https://raceroster.com/events/2022/56070/the-2022-asics-falmouth-road-race/pledge/participant/14097259.

To learn more about hemi-paresis, visit: https://www.stroke.org/en/about-stroke/effects-of-stroke/physical-effects-of-stroke/physical-impact/hemiparesis

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