MEMPHIS, Tenn. — “He had a joyful spirit he always had a smile on his face, you’ll see some of the signs I put out," said St. Jude Hero Don. "They say “Smile," Jake always did.”
Smile, like Jake.
“If you’d have seen him the day he was diagnosed you would have no idea he was sick just a crazy wild 2-year-old,” said the father of four.
It’s a simple message, with a powerful meaning.
Jake at 2 years old – was diagnosed with liver cancer.
“From the moment we walked in at St. Jude it’s nothing but massive support from the staff, the doctors, the surgeons.”
His dad, Don shared his toddler didn’t even let the pain keep him from being a normal 2 and 3 -year-old.
“At 2, you don’t really know what sick is so he never let it stop him, even when he was hooked up to the IVs and stuff.”
Jake passed at the age of 4.
His family still - every day honors Jake’s good fight.
"When I think of how hard Jake fought, how hard St. Jude fought, how hard my wife fought. His older brothers fought and then his sisters he never got to meet, she was born after."
His dad is still finishing the race.
“It’s one of the last physical things I can do for him on this Earth.”
Also, keeping the faith.
“It makes you slow down it makes you enjoy life it makes you just a little bit more humble.”
Don will be taking part in the 5K run Saturday morning, stopping to greet and encourage other families – saying he’s proud to carry on Jake’s legacy.