ELL teacher Shelley Graves showed me to the classroom where Jackson Becher was. The classroom is a normal classroom with one glaring difference than others in the school. It has a computer with a large yellow keypad, a seat with a seatbelt, an aid, and a kid with a shirt that says “I’m not perfect, just awesome,” who happens to be Jackson.

Jackson was born with a condition called Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease, or PMD for short. PMD is a disease that affects central nervous system, caused by mutation of genes. PMD makes it hard to control a person’s extremities, and especially walk.

Jackson loves to bike ride, but because of his condition, he is not able to use a normal bike. He Jackson loves to bike ride, but because of his condition, he is not able to use a normal bike. He uses an adaptive bike, which is a tricycle designed to give more support and be more stable than a traditional bike. While it is vital that Jackson get a new adaptive bike to support his growing body, the problem is that they cost around $1,500.

“The adaptive bike would be something for the quality of life,” his teacher, Tammy Lewis, said. “He loves to go bike riding, and he had an old tricycle that he is outgrowing now. This bike would help because it can grow as he grows. It would also help because it is especially adaptive to his needs.”

Because of the steep cost, Jackson’s family started to look to fundraising options.

“Jackson’s mom started to get involved with the great bike give away, and we spread the word to get everyone to vote for Jackson,” Lewis said. “He got ninth place out of 204, but the rules were first place got a bike and the other 17 bikes that were donated were part of a raffle drawing. Unfortunately he didn’t win that.”

With the help of Westgate elementary school, Jackson’s family started to try different ways to fundraise to get Jackson the bike. They talked to Husker Hound’s, a retail store selling that sells Cornhusker memorabilia, who said they would match any donation given. However, they didn’t even get the chance before others intervened.

Lewis’ daughter’s boyfriend is president of Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity at the University of Nebraska Lincoln. He talked to his chapter, and the Fraternity is now going to cover the entire cost of the bike.

But this bike is not what makes Jackson the person he is, it is his effect on people. Lewis thinks his positive outlook is what makes him so enjoyable.

“The kids in the classroom absolutely love him because he is always happy and smiling,” Lewis said. “Everyone that knows him just loves him.”

Even though he has PMD, Jackson is every bit as able to partake in activities as the other second graders. Jackson is able to participate in activities, play at recess (except in the winter), have fun, and learn with all of his classmates normally. Some of his favorite things to do are play outside and watch baseball.

“Baseball is my favorite sport,” Jackson said. “I usually go to the baseball stadium to watch my cousin John. He plays every Saturday.”

Jackson has friends in the classroom, who like to play with him at recess. One of his best friends is Gabby Dykhouse, also a second grader at Westgate.

“I like to push him in his cart,” Dykhouse said. “We like to go fast. We also like to go to the red playground and go down the slide.”

When he’s not racing cars on his driveway, Jackson can be found inside his house playing Mario Kart Wii, or playing inside.

“Do you know what I like to do?” Jackson said. “I like to build bridges or play cars in the basement. Sometimes I like to play upstairs with my sister, we always play house.

Even though he behaves like a normal kid, he does have to use different methods to learn in the classroom. He has a computer that magnifies images on the screen,with a large yellow keyboard and an adaptive mouse that is larger for him to hold. Because of Jackson’s PMD, his vision is worse and it makes it hard for him to see.

He also has to take a walker to assist him in walking. While it does help him be more mobile, the walker does pose it’s challenges, as he has to pick it up and turn it every time he wants to change direction.

But Jackson is not defined by these difficulties. He shows up every day with a smile and is an example to all of his classmates.

“Jackson is an inspiration to us all,” Lewis said. “He so sweet, and it just makes you want to cry because he is so sweet and he has to go through all this extra stuff, but he is so awesome.”