Throw Axes for Piersen!!! Piersen’s Home Addition Fundraiser @ The Axe Bar

Please take the time to read Pierson’s story. 100% of sales from 11:00am-7:00pm will be donated to the Pierson Strong Foundation.

Message from Pierson’s Dad:

My name is Timothy Eaker, AKA, Piersen’s Dad. May I take a moment of your day so I
can share who we are, our journey so far, where we hope to go in the future, and the
significant part you may play in P’s world?

(in advance – thank you.)

Memories of Valentines Day 2014 remain vivid.
An unexpected phone call at work.
The ride to Sarah Bush Hospital.
The sounds of the ER waiting room.
The snowy drive to Champaign-Urbana.
Shaking, praying, hoping.
Waiting and more waiting.
Wishing for any news.
Even today, it remains crystal clear.
Piersen was injured at his licensed daycare facility.
Everything changed forever in that moment.

Ultimately it was determined Piersen suffered from Shaken Baby Syndrome, which is
when a young child is shaken so hard that the brain literally crashes into the hard
surfaces of the skull. The resulting damage has caused Piersen’s current health issues
– currently 37 of them.

It would be years before we understood what that meant for P’s daily life. In those initial
days, the neurologist treating him seemed to give one soul crushing report after another.
I’m sure some of you reading this have gone through a devastating event and can
relate. Anxiety, constant heartburn, on the edge of crying, confusion, anger, every
moment of those first few weeks. Very dark at times. There are still dark moments, but
we believe there will always be a purpose in our pain. God will see us through, and He
will use our story – if we continue to share it. I can tell you that no person should have to
endure the experiences Piersen has had to live through over the past 117 months, but
the very first miracle in all of this was that he survived at all.

We are grateful for all the medical professionals that helped Piersen in that first year:
Charleston, Champaign, St. Louis, Chicago. Grateful for the ones who care for him still:
Monmouth, Galesburg, Peoria, Chicago. Our extraordinary home nurses, Caryn and
Stacey, provide care and love for Piersen every single day. (They are more than nurses
to P. They are family). All of us remain extremely grateful for the people and prayers.

Fast forward 9 years. Within limitations, Piersen has thrived. An implanted Baclofen
pump in his abdomen has helped lessen muscle rigidity and an implanted VNS pump
under his right collarbone has eliminated all seizure activity. He’s endured surgeries to
both hips and major spinal surgery. The 2 rods and 27 screws in his back help keep him
straight and growing in the right direction. And grow he has! He’s currently around 5 feet
tall and weighs over 80 pounds and hasn’t even hit his growth spurt yet. A general
estimate puts him over 6 feet tall, weighing between 140 and 160 pounds. But with
healthy growth has come troubling problems.

The main area of our home is ideal for Piersen. Open space, easy access to going in
and out. However, accessing the bedrooms or either bathroom requires going down 2
narrow hallways and navigating several 90 degree turns. Larger wheelchairs over the
years made this difficult and then impossible. Piersen’s size has made carrying him any
distance difficult if not outright dangerous. For the past year, he has slept, lived, played,
and learned in the family room. It has also become impossible to get him into the
bathroom, much less the bathtub or shower, so he’s had bed baths and shampoos with
a bucket. Other aspects of his life have also been affected, but you get the idea.

What’s in the planning? By building an addition off the family room of our home, we can
create a dedicated space for Piersen. A sleeping area that’s not his living area. A

therapy area so he continues to exercise and learn. A bathroom with a tub that P can be
lowered into for a long soak. <ahhhhhh….> A ceiling track lift system to enable safe
transfers from bed to chair to couch to bath. Adequate storage so all his things can be
accessed as needed. A monitoring system so he can be safely watched overnight. A
door that can be closed when he needs quiet or wants to play his music really loud.
Miscellaneous odds and ends, but overall, a huge project that will make a massive
difference in Piersen’s life, not just in the immediate future but for years to
come.

Piersen is surrounded by a tribe who love him. We are abundantly grateful. This new
endeavor of providing P’s new space is where our family is asking for your help. This
“ask” has placed us in a vulnerable place, but sometimes that’s where God does His
best work. Our immediate and primary concern = raising the funds necessary to provide
Piersen with his special space. Your gift (of any size) means the world to our family.

Other avenues of assistance may also look like: providing supplies, sharing our
fundraising information with another person or company, and prayers and
encouragement. All the above are more than appreciated. I know that together we can
do extraordinary things for Piersen.

The journey over the past 9 years has been overwhelming and incredible. So many
people have supported us and continue to provide daily encouragement to just keep
going. AndPiersen continues to amaze us with his grit, his will, his spirit, his JOY.

In advance, I am grateful for your support.

Sincerely,

Tim Eaker