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ALS victim won't give up hunting
By Phil DiFatta • September 28, 2008

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MICHAEL JACKSON (second from right) was diagnosed in 2006 with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's Disease, that threatened to end the sport of deer hunting he has come to love. But, with the help of friends, from left, Adam Grantham, Chuck Grantham, landowner Dale Belsome and Don Bales (not pictured), Michael downed this nice buck early in January of this year in Pearl River County. (Submitted photo)


MICHAEL'S MIND told his legs to move the chair around. But they wouldn't listen.


He tried to stop his hands and arms from trembling. The shaking only got worse.

Michael Jackson, 28, of the Sweetwater community in Jones County, knew what he had to do to take down the magnificent buck in the food plot, but his extremities refused to cooperate, as if his brain was in gear, but his legs and arms were in neutral.

With few body parts working in sync, Michael could only watch as the big deer vanished into the woods, gone, perhaps forever. An epic case of buck fever if ever there was one.

But Michael's problems ran deeper than a simple case of buck fever. Unless there is a heart condition involved, buck fever is quite harmless and usually temporary. The condition that caused Michael's limbs to clam up is worse than that, much worse. Worse even than cancer.

Most cancers, after all, can be beaten ... if detected early. Not so with the intruder that had invaded Michael's body. It's a killer, with a life expectancy two to five years. Period.

Michael has ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. He was diagnosed in 2006 with the progressive, neuro-degenerative muscular disease that, to date, has no cure.

But Michael refuses to believe ALS can't be beat, just like he refused to believe his hunting days were over because of the debilitating disease. In fact, his love of deer hunting is one driving force that keeps him fighting for life. Another, of course, is his love of life and family.

Against all odds, Michael is determined to beat this thing But the effort is not easy. Nothing worth doing really never is. Even with the loving support of friends and family, the normally simple task of getting turned around in a shooting house became a major undertaking. And the trembling hands were no longer blamed on buck fever. What had begun as a minor inconvenience had grown into a full-blown handicap.

And, for lack of better words, it all started so innocently.

"Michael first complained about his left arm twitching when he was coaching our little girl's softball team," said Lacey Jackson, Michael's wife of seven years. "At first I thought it was all in his mind, but in time his walk became very robotic. That's when I knew it was time to see a doctor and find out what the problem was."

The diagnosis didn't come soon ... and it didn't come easy.

"It took about four months before we knew for sure what is was," Lacey said. "It was a roller-coaster ride the whole time, with lots of ups and downs. Essentially, it was a long process of elimination."

When the verdict was finally handed down, Lacey and Michael, along with their four kids, were devastated, but they weren't about to lay down and let this thing beat them. And they knew their faith was the first, the only, place to start.

"Our faith has carried us. Oh, absolutely," Lacey said. "Of course I'm biased, but our church (Calvary Baptist of Seminary) and church family are the best in the world. The church and its members have been with us every step of the way."

It doesn't hurt to have friends, either. Michael's brother-in-law, Adam Grantham, had hunted deer with Michael a few years, and he wasn't about to let this disease take away his hunting partner and friend. Not without a fight. Since Michael had not taken a buck of trophy proportions in the few years he'd hunted, Adam made it his goal in life to help Michael tag a buck he'd be proud to hang on the den wall.

But, try as they might, the cards never seemed to fall into place. If the deer cooperated, Michael's body wouldn't. When Michael was ready, the deer didn't show. And so it went.

With the ALS slowly progressing, things didn't look so good. But both men refused to give up. They just needed a little help, and help is what they got when Adam put the word out. Volunteers came out of the woodwork.

Adam first enlisted the assistance of his uncle, Chuck Grantham. The two of them did all they could, but soon learned the reason Rome wasn't built in a day ... and that it certainly took more than two construction workers to build it.

Working from that premise, Chuck knew just the man to recruit. He contacted Don Bales, a sportsman who has more connections than AT&T. He explained the situation and asked Don if he knew of a place with plenty of deer, more importantly, a place where the landowner would be willing to let Michael hunt.

"You're dadgum right," Bales answered. "The rest of my season, if that's what it takes, will be devoted to getting him a deer."

Bales was on the phone in a heartbeat, contacting landowners. And, in less than 30 minutes, he had more than enough prime spots lined up.

Plans first were made to hunt Amite County. But, much to their chagrin, Michael, Adam, Chuck and Don had to endure a powerful thunderstorm while sitting in a ground blind. When the storm passed, the deer they thought would get up and move about never did.

The next stop was in Pearl River County on Jan. 4, 2008. This time the weather couldn't have been better. And the deer cooperated beautifully, too. But this time, Michael's condition would not allow him to shift into position on any of the eight bucks or so that entered the food plot.

A normal team of hunters would have given up, but it only made them more determined. They tried again the next day, but Michael's physical problems arose again. He simply could not adjust for a shot, and they realized that modifications to the shooting house were necessary if they were going to be successful.

First, they built a small platform under the shooting window to alleviate some of the weight of the gun from Michael's arms. Then they added two special chairs donated by Mike Kuykendall of Commercial Business Interiors in Hattiesburg. Cliff Bales, Don's son, who works with Kuykendall, donated his time in delivering the chairs.

Louis Swarts, of Big Buck Sports, provided special shooting rest equipment, and the modifications were complete. It wasn't easy, but they got it done.

There was another minor problem, but it was solved easily. Since Michael had trouble walking on his own, the gracious crew, minus Bales, carried him and lifted him into the slightly elevated stand on Jan. 6.

Bales, who had been such an integral part of the entire operation, ironically had suffered severe back spasms on his way home from church that day and was unable to make the hunt that would mean the most to him.

Be that as it may, everything that could be done had been done. And when a bragging-sized buck sauntered into the foot plot some 50-60 yards away, tedious adjustments were made and Michael finally got to squeeze the trigger. His aim was true, and Michael's quest for a trophy buck had come to a happy end, not only for him, but those of the of the team and the landowners as well.

Michael had overcome great obstacles to finally put meat on the table and a trophy on the den wall. It was the culmination of a group effort, plenty of selflessness and much love for one's fellow man. To top it off, because the hunt was captured on television-quality video, Michael can relive the hunt over and over again.

Prior arrangements had been made with Drew and Kyle Turner, of Turner Brothers Taxidermy in Hattiesburg, that if Michael were to collect a "wall-hanger," they would, in true sportsmen fashion, not only mount the deer quickly, but do so at no charge. They kept their promise.

"When we got him up to Turner Brothers to pick up his deer," Bales beamed, "we had to roll him in a wheelchair for pictures, and I don't think Michael could have been any more proud of himself than we all were."

Things were rosy for the moment, but Michael still has to battle the ALS, which is showing no signs of remission, although Lacey says it is progressing slower than most. She attributes that to their faith, plus Michael's frame of mind and his will to get better. A great part of that will to get better, says Lacey, is Michael's dream to hunt deer again someday.

"Hunting is something for Michael to focus on because he is homebound, for the most part," Lacey said. "It was so funny; he was so-o-o excited to have that deer head in his house, and we sometimes catch him just sitting, staring at his deer."

Meanwhile, the Jacksons keep hoping, praying. So far, Michael has been turned down for testing of a drug that reportedly slows the progression of ALS. When first told he could participate in the testing, Sanderson Farms graciously offered to fly him to Houston, where the tests were being conducted.

Ultimately, however, doctors in Texas turned Michael down, citing the fact that they have plenty of test patients there. It was a setback, of course, but Lacey says she's still not giving up.

"Our prayers are, if everything goes well, that Michael may be able to get this experimental medicine," Lacey said. "The Mayo Clinic says this drug, called Lithium, is the biggest breakthrough in 25 years with ALS. It has shown the most promise."

For now, the Jacksons will wait ... and pray. But they will not give up.

Meanwhile, Lacey continues to clean houses to help make ends meet. A steady job is out of the question because Michael's care demands so much of her time. She never knows when he will need her ... but she doesn't complain.

"Michael's wife's got more courage than anybody I know," Bales said of Lacey. "She takes care of Michael and four kids, which includes two pre-schoolers. And she has to do that day after day. My hat's off to her."

Bales went a step farther than just tipping his hat. He helped get the word out to sportsmen about a fund set up by friends and church members to assist the Jackson family pay medical bills, meet household needs and, hopefully, find a cure for Michael's ALS.

"Michael's family did not request this help, or ask for money," Bales insisted. "Lacey didn't even know about the fund until the checks began to arrive at Community Bank*

"Michael's needs go far beyond those of a deer hunt, and I'm hoping the sportsmen, everyone, will rally to help him and his family. Even if it's only $10, it'll add up if there are enough donors."

For the financial help and prayers, Lacey Jackson couldn't be more gracious, or grateful, not only to the kind men who gave their time and energy to help Michael get a deer, but to her church family, friends and the landowners who offered their land for Michael to hunt.

"I speak not only for our family," Lacey said humbly, "but for all of Michael's family as well, when I say we deeply appreciate what everyone has done. Michael worked at Universal Auto Parts, in Laurel, and they have checked on us all along. Everyone has just been wonderful.

"And the list goes on," she added. "Angelle's Fine Furnishings in Hattiesburg helped us procure a special lift chair that not only helps Michael get up and down, but really takes a strain off my back and others in the family who have to help lift Michael. 'Thank you' is just not enough."

Cooperating landowners included Dale Belsome, Scott Wadleigh, Steve Williams and Bobby McCartney.

Meanwhile life goes on at the Jackson household, just as Michael's dream of hunting another trophy buck lives on..

Here's hoping he gets that chance.

Postscript
It's been some time since I first interviewed Don Bales, Chuck Grantham and Lacey Jackson. Without question, this is the most difficult story I've ever tried to write. So I kept putting it off.

I procrastinated, well, because I'm an old softy. Also, I am an avid deer hunter, and although I could never honestly say I know how Michael feels, I have some miniscule idea of what he's going through. But mostly, I procrastinated because, by some miracle, I hoped I could find a way to do Michael's story justice. I have failed miserably...

There is some promising news, however. In my latest conversation with Lacey, she told me what I was afraid to ask, but hoped to hear.

"He's doing really well," she said. "You know Michael was supposed to be a part of a study in Houston with Lithium treatment, but was turned down. Well, we took matters into our own hands and decided to see our doctor in Laurel. 'We'll sign whatever release we need to sign,' because we know what the alternative is.'"

With some reservation, their doctor prescribed the Lithium. "After all," asked Lacey, "what do we have to lose?

"He's been on Lithium (a drug already prescribed for bi-polar patients and available most anywhere) now for nine weeks, and we have seen a little bit of a change," Lacey told me. "I won't really say he's gained strength, but according to his therapist, his range of motion is a little bit better. Anyway, he's not getting worse, and hopefully this improvement will continue. There's not been anything major, but Michael did manage to take a couple of steps by himself."

With the Lithium, they still have to worry about liver disease and kidney failure, Lacey admitted. But she can live with that. What she couldn't live with is the fact that they didn't even try.

The Jacksons' attitude remains positive, and they are continuing the battle. Lacey still cleans houses when not attending Michael, but the household bills keep mounting, and I'm sure they don't give away the medication. So, won't you join me, as a sportsman or a non-sportsman, in sending at least a small donation to this tight-knit little family?

Again, checks may be sent to the Jackson Benefit Fund, in care of the Community Bank, P.O. Box 250, Ellisville, Miss. 39437.

On behalf of the Jacksons, I thank you.

Contact Phil DiFatta at pdifatta@hotmail.com

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com:8...ORTS/809280322