KENT COUNTY, Mich. — Jasper Humphrey plays wheelchair basketball, and does many things that nine-year-olds love to do. Excitedly showing off his newly built wheelchair ramp for his home, he sped down the ramp to his driveway, where he showed how he dribbles his basketball and spun around in his sports wheelchair.
Brooke Humphrey, Jasper's mother, said their story is unlike many others.
"We found out at the age at five that he had that arachnoid cyst that was crushing his spinal cord. He had the two open back surgeries again within 10 months of each other, because the cyst grew in size again," said Brooke. "It's kind of just been a lifelong thing, that's why we're kind of used to it. He's had 17 surgeries, but it's still a shell shock when new things arise."
Mid-September, Jasper fell seriously ill and was hospitalized for over a week when he began having problems breathing.
"It got gradually worse, where we kind of shake him a little bit and say, 'Hey, Jasper, wake up.' Nothing was coming through. So after that, the he stopped breathing, and it went pretty long," said Brooke. "They did BiPAP, they let us know next step is intubation, which was very hard for a mother to hear."
As Jasper recovered, Brooke said the experience served as a reminder to keep kids home from school when sick, or notify a teacher that a child is not feeling well, to protect classmates with compromised immune systems.
She said it also helped her realize that they do not have to fight their battles alone.
"My sister Crystal, she told me that I've done all that I can do, and I continue to do all that I can do, but it's time to let people help, and it's time to not pick Jasper up and just carry him down the stairs," said Brooke.
She explained that due to insurance not paying for a ramp, she has been having to carry Jasper down the steps of their home due to the cost of building a ramp, along with having to carry him into their van.
They also are not given benefits from the SSA.
"Sometimes he'll pick himself up, but with that cyst, his arms go numb at times, so we do still have to carry him along with the wheelchair," Brooke explained.
Taking notice of their situation, Be A Ruby, a non-profit from Grandville built a ramp for their home, enabling Jasper to now let himself out of the home to play with friends, and is even wide enough for his sports wheelchair.
"We know how hard things can be. We know what life can throw at you," said Harry Rissley, director and founder of Be A Ruby. "I saw Brooke carrying Jasper down. He's getting to be a big kid, and you know that's not going to be able to be safe in the wintertime. Nobody should have to do that."
Jasper and his mom are now feeling excitement for the new opportunities their ramp brings, and hoping to look forward to what can come.
"Even just positive prayers and thoughts would be even great to continue to keep Jasper in the health that he is, and that the new testing, once he gets in a couple months will show that, you know, maybe things are on the up and up," said Brooke.