BLAINE, Minn. – (Feb. 9, 2017) – “Jack is an almost four-year-old, he’s all over the place just as you would expect any three or four-year-old. He loves music, he actually loves sports, really loves to go to games. He’s your typical three/four-year-old kid,” said Jack’s father Chris Carroll.
Chris and Carissa Carroll know the joys and trials to wear the title of parent and they know to be ready for unexpected results. For example their son Jack and his smile. After an emergency c-section during labor Jack was born, but that’s only where the story begins.
“Walking in and handing Jack to me their was another nurse that followed up and asked me the question are you aware of trisomy 21,” said Carroll.
“He brought Jack over to me and they said this is our baby and I was still really emotional of how the birth went and then he said you know they think he has Down Syndrome. At that point I just cried out and we had a moment together just trying to process this new unexpected news,” said Jack’s mother and founder of Jack’s Basket Carissa Carroll.
Then came the questions.
“Part of it was we didn’t receive any information about what Down Syndrome is, we had to ask the nurses do you have any information about Down Syndrome. They were like we may have something here at the hospital which really only allows you in today’s society to go to the internet, which their is a lot a lot of inaccurate information out their, especially when it comes to certain diagnosis. So we were really saying what is our future going to look like,” said Mrs. Carroll.
For the Carroll family the rest is history, but they are playing no small part in helping future families. They created the non-profit Jack’s Basket to give other families the resources and support they so desperately looked for just a few years ago.
“In the baskets are baby gifts, rattles, burp clothes, blankets, and also it’s balanced with resources about Down Syndrome. We just recently celebrated our 250th baby and in the first two years their was 200 babies and approximately 170 babies were here in the Twin Cities area. We celebrate them around the United States, our 100th basket went to the United Kingdom and a couple to Canada so we’re just spreading the mission that babies with Down Syndrome should be celebrated like any other birth,” said Mrs. Carroll.
A simple idea that sprouted from love turned into something much bigger.
“As I met more families raising kids with Down Syndrome after Jack was born, I found out many families weren’t even congratulated after they had their child in the hospital and I was heart broken about that and I just said every child deserves to be celebrated. Along with not receiving any information about Down Syndrome I said we needed to provide families an opportunity to learn about the resources and support in the local area and in a sense around the world. I just said lets go back to the hospital on Jack’s first birthday and celebrate his life. So we went on his birthday with two baskets including the gifts and also a letter from our family,” said Mrs. Carroll.
Chris is the Blaine High School boys hockey coach and that along with Jack’s love for sports, provided a unique opportunity for fundraising.
“It’s to raise money for Jack’s Basket to keep the awareness up about Down Syndrome and how that children with Down Syndrome are a precious gift as well,” said Jack’s Basket volunteer Jodi Powell.
At the Blaine vs. Hill Murray game Jack’s Basket became the star of show thanks to local businesses donating prizes for a raffle and chuck-a-puck proceeds also went to the charity. Jack even got to drop the puck to open the game. With Jack’s brimming positivity and the Carroll family’s optimism they hope to end negative stigmas associated with down syndrome.
“I would encourage new families by saying your child is going to change your life for the better and right now all this child needs is your love and will show you so many new things,” said Mrs. Carroll.
To find out more about Jack’s Basket, how to donate, and about upcoming events click here.
