Tyler was a delightful five year old boy. Tragically, he was the victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome at the hands of his mother when he was an infant. This unthinkable, violent act caused Tyler to suffer a stroke and left him with extensive brain damage. Not expected to live, Tyler has defied the odds and has continued to exceed expectations. Though left with cognitive deficits and some medical problems, he is learning and growing.
Tyler had limited speech and had become increasingly frustrated with his inability to communicate. He resorted to harmful behavior like banging his head against the wall and acting out, when he couldn’t get his point across. Tyler’s adoptive mother researched augmentative communication devices and discovered “The Talker”, which uses pictures to “speak”. A trial with this machine showed how much it helped Tyler to communicate. His frustration level decreased and a sense of calm returned. Tyler’s mom could not afford the machine and her efforts to find funding for it were not successful.
The Paul Jackson Fund partnered with the Union County Rugby Football Club, which organized rugby teams throughout the county to raise funds to help pay for Tyler’s Talker.