Jaś’s Journey: A Young Heart Fighting Against All Odds.1679
Hi, my name is Jaś, and I was born on November 6, 2013. At first, I seemed like any other happy, healthy child. My parents watched me with pride, expecting milestones to come naturally, just like any other baby. But only a few months after my birth, something became painfully clear: I wasn’t developing as I should. After countless tests and consultations, the diagnosis arrived—a word that shook our world: cerebral palsy. For my family, it felt like a devastating verdict, but for me, it was the start of a fight I was determined to win.
From that moment, my life became a journey defined by courage, resilience, and the relentless pursuit of progress. Despite being quadriplegic, I refuse to let my condition define me. Every day is an opportunity to grow stronger, to push the limits of what my body can do, and to achieve milestones that, not long ago, seemed impossible. Each small success—holding my head up, sitting independently for a few moments, rolling onto my tummy, or planting a gentle kiss on my mother’s face—feels like a victory. These moments are proof that determination and love can turn hope into reality.
My fight is not mine alone. Behind every milestone are countless hours of therapy, patience, and unwavering support from my parents, who have been my champions from the very beginning. They have dedicated themselves to my care, seeking out the best treatments, specialists, and therapies to help me reach my potential. But my needs are vast, and the resources required to support my development exceed what any family could manage alone. That is why I am reaching out for help—because every contribution, every bit of support, brings me closer to a life with more independence and possibilities.
To maintain the progress I have made and to continue improving, I require intensive, ongoing rehabilitation. Physiotherapists help me strengthen muscles, improve mobility, and maintain posture. Speech therapists guide me in communication, giving me the tools to express my thoughts and emotions. Psychologists help me cope with the challenges I face every day, ensuring that my spirit remains strong and resilient. In addition to this daily care, I am under the supervision of medical specialists who monitor my condition and recommend interventions that can maximize my quality of life.
There is also hope in emerging medical treatments, such as stem cell therapy, which has the potential to improve my health and function. These therapies offer possibilities that were unimaginable when I was first diagnosed. Yet they come with enormous financial costs—costs that my family cannot bear alone. Every donation, every act of kindness, brings me one step closer to accessing treatments that can dramatically change my life. For me, each zloty is priceless; it represents another chance to fight, to grow, and to live with dignity.
Despite the challenges, I face each day with determination and hope. Every small achievement motivates me to keep pushing forward. The fight for physical independence, for improved mobility, and for the ability to engage with the world is ongoing. Each smile, each milestone, each moment of progress reinforces that my condition may limit my body, but it cannot limit my will or my heart.
I am learning every day what it means to be strong, resilient, and brave. My parents’ dedication, the skill and care of my therapists, and the support of compassionate people around the world are helping me turn each challenge into a victory. Life with cerebral palsy is demanding, but with love, guidance, and support, every day offers the opportunity to grow, learn, and achieve.
My story is one of hope, courage, and determination. It is a reminder that even when life presents immense challenges, the human spirit can shine brightly. I may be small, and my body may be limited, but my will to live, to fight, and to succeed is enormous. Every effort, every contribution, every word of encouragement fuels my journey. With your support, I can continue to reach for milestones that seemed impossible, continue to thrive despite cerebral palsy, and move closer to a future filled with hope, independence, and possibility.
Thank you for being part of my journey, for believing in me, and for helping me fight for every step forward. Together, we can transform hope into reality and ensure that every child, no matter their diagnosis, has the chance to live a life filled with possibility.
One Last Wag — The Day Riley Said Goodbye.144
We always think we’ll have more time.
One more walk.
One more cuddle.
One more morning of soft fur beneath our fingers and sleepy eyes meeting ours.
But love — real love — never feels finished.
That morning was like any other. Riley greeted me with his usual tail wag, the kind that made you believe everything in the world was right. He moved slower these days, his muzzle frosted with gray, but his spirit was as warm as ever. I brushed his ears gently, whispering, “Good boy,” like I always did.
He didn’t know. He couldn’t.
When we drove to the vet, Riley sat with his head out the window, his fur ruffling in the wind, eyes half-closed in quiet joy. To him, it was another little adventure. To me, it was the hardest drive of my life.
His illness had worsened. The treatments had stopped working. The nights had become long and heavy — each breath he took came with effort. And though my heart screamed to hold on, deep down I knew the kindest thing I could do was let him rest.
At the clinic, the vet spoke softly, her eyes gentle but full of knowing. “He’s ready,” she said.
And just like that, time seemed to stop.
I sank to the floor beside him. Riley, trusting as always, lay his head in my lap. His tail gave one small wag — slow but steady, like he was reassuring me. “It’s okay,” his eyes seemed to say. “You don’t have to be strong for me. I know you love me.”
Tears blurred everything. My voice trembled as I whispered to him — every thank you I’d never said enough, every apology for the moments I’d taken for granted. He licked my tears, that same gentle, clumsy kiss he’d always given when I cried. Even at the end, he was the one comforting me.
The vet knelt beside us, needle in hand, and I nodded. I held him close, my cheek against his fur, breathing in the scent that had been home for twelve years.
When the injection began, Riley let out one small sigh — deep, peaceful, almost like a content exhale after a long nap. His tail moved one last time, brushing my arm. Then he went still.
The silence that followed was unbearable.
There was no bark to greet me. No soft pawsteps behind me. Just the echo of absence — that kind of quiet that only comes when love leaves the room. I stayed there for a long time, my fingers tracing the collar he’d worn since he was a pup.
It wasn’t supposed to end like this. But maybe love never really ends — it just changes shape.
The next morning, I found his leash hanging by the door. I reached out instinctively, half expecting to feel him beside me. Instead, I felt the ache of memory. Yet somehow, it didn’t hurt as sharply as the night before. There was something softer there — something that felt like gratitude.
Because for twelve beautiful years, Riley had been mine.
He was there for every heartbreak, every lonely night, every victory, every sunrise. He didn’t care about my flaws, my mistakes, or my worst days. He loved me through it all — unconditionally, endlessly, quietly.
Now, that love lives on in smaller ways. In the blanket still covered with his fur. In the marks on the floor where his paws once danced. In the silence of the morning, when I still half expect to hear the click of his nails on the tile.
Love doesn’t vanish when they’re gone.
It stays — woven into our days, stitched into our hearts.
Sometimes I still talk to him. When the house feels too quiet, I whisper, “Miss you, buddy.” And somewhere deep inside, I swear I can feel that old, familiar warmth — that last wag of his tail, the one that said, “Don’t cry. I’m still here.”
Twelve years together, and still, it wasn’t enough.
But love never is. Because when it’s real, it doesn’t end.
It lingers — in the silence, in the memories, and in every heartbeat that still misses him. 💔
