THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 21, 1995 TAG: 9512200169
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 164 lines
GENTLY, Michael Jordan lifted Jarrette Thomas Campbell II from his wheelchair until the teenager was eye-to-eye with his hero.
``I understand we share a birthday,'' the basketball giant offered.
The Suffolk youth will be 18 on Feb. 17; the Chicago Bulls star, 33.
``And,'' Jarrette added, ``we share a love of basketball.''
Indeed, it was that mutual interest - love affair is probably more accurate - that got Jarrette to Chicago, from Nov. 15 to 19, to meet Jordan.
Several months ago, the Make-A-Wish Foundation - an organization that helps make dreams come true for seriously ill children - asked Jarrette about his big dream.
There was no hesitation: Meet Michael Jordan.
But there was hesitation as to when he would go, since he had surgery for a brain tumor.
``I wanted to wait until I felt better,'' said Jarrette, sporting an authentic Bulls jacket given to him by the Foundation. ``Now, I can say I've been there, I've done that.''
The meeting took place in Jordan's La Salle Street restaurant, but there was very little eating.
``The kids were nervous, they couldn't eat,'' said Jarrette's mother, Jo Anne. ``Then he walked into the room and asked, `Aren't we supposed to have a good time?' ''
Jordan and 10 other boys from across the country, plus a youngster from British Columbia, were ready for the good times.
``There was no hesitation about signing so many autographs,'' Jo Anne said. ``He spent quality time with each kid.''
Later, Jordan spent quality time on the court, the Bulls beating the New Jersey Nets as Jarrette and his friends cheered from seats in a special section.
Jarrette and his mom left Chicago with memories and macaroni.
``Michael Jordan's wife gives everybody her recipe for macaroni and cheese,'' said Jo Anne who, in exchange, gave the Jordan family some Virginia peanuts.
Meeting with seriously ill children is an annual event for the basketball star, who is tied with wrestler Hulk Hogan as the No. 2 dream request by Make-A-Wish Foundation children.
No. 1 are trips to Disney World or Disneyland.
``If I had my druthers,'' Jordan told the Chicago Sun-Times, ``I would see Mickey first, too.''
Jo Anne; her husband, Howard ``Buzz'' Thomas, an insurance adjuster; their church, Oakland Christian; and many friends are working for Jarrette's normalcy.
Until 1990, the family lived in Chesapeake, where Jarrette attended Deep Creek elementary and middle schools. Many family members still live there.
Now, his family lives about a mile off Godwin Boulevard, sharing their home with several cats. First and foremost is Precious, a lucky black feline that leaps mighty distances to land in Jarrette's lap, staying with him as he wheels around the house.
He rolls into his room and proudly shows off his cap collection - about 100 hanging from wires spread from one end of the bedroom to the other.
Many are gifts from friends, several represent the University of North Carolina.
``Michael Jordan went there,'' explained Jarrette who, about 18 months ago, could not get in his chair without help.
``So many positive things have been happening,'' Jo Anne said, ``but we still have a long way to go.''
``I get outta bed,'' Jarrette said.
``Who dresses you?'' his mother asked.
``Me.''
``Who puts your shoes on?''
``Me.''
``Who feeds you?''
``Me.''
``Who gets you downstairs?''
``Me.''
Tumor humor.
The family has reached that stage, but it was a different story two years ago this month when Jarrette was diagnosed with medullablastoma.
``Surgery removed 95 percent of the tumor. Six days after the operation, he had a grand mal seizure. Thirty-six hours later, he went into a coma,'' Jo Anne said. ``He was in a coma almost four weeks. He was given a very slim chance of coming out of it and recovering.
``To my utter amazement, just before he came out of the coma he had a mild seizure. It showed the brain functioning. Slowly, Jarrette woke up,'' she said. ``The first things he learned when he came out of the coma was to stick out his tongue and give the bird.''
More tumor humor.
``Everything is treated with humor,'' Jo Anne said. ``It's been a major factor in Jarrette's recovery.''
Her son was hospitalized at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, and Sentara Norfolk General until April 1994 - four months of hospitalization and worry.
Jarrette was given radiation therapy during the six weeks he was at Sentara. Chemotherapy started at the same time and continued until January.
``Before the radiation therapy, he was given a base line MRI. That showed that the 5 percent of the tumor that had not been removed, was gone,'' Jo Anne said. ``About 99 percent of the people look at this as a miracle. Jarrette's been tumor-free ever since.
``There is always a chance of a recurrence, but I don't believe it's going to happen. My prayers, many prayers, have been answered,'' she said. ``Now, he can do what he wants to do without help, except for walking. The tumor affected his balance.''
It did not affect his ability to get a straight A report card.
In September 1994, Jarrette, who is hoping to find a computer to fit his special needs, returned to Nansemond River High School as a junior, working there and at home.
This year he is a full-time student. For 1996, Jarrette has his optimistic eye on St. Andrews Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, N.C., where six percent of the student body is disabled and the student-teacher ratio is 12 to 1.
``The Suffolk school system has been fantastic,'' said Jo Anne, a former Portsmouth teacher. ``I want that noted.''
They are giving him speech, occupational and physical therapy, with some of the latter also coming from Physical Therapy Works in Smithfield.
Jarrette's New Year resolution is to get back on his feet, and some inventive friends have been helping him do that with a device they dubbed the Jarrette Swing.
Resembling a Rube Goldberg contraption, it offers the determined teenager 35 feet of walking space.
It looks like a clothesline with cable clamps at each end to avoid falls.
``It's designed to make sure his legs will have energy, not the upper body,'' said David Sawyer, a welding engineer at Newport News Shipbuilding.
He is also a member of Oakland Christian Church where, during an August picnic, he said, ``some of us were talking about Jarrette. We felt if he had something to stabilize and support him, he could walk.''
Virginia Power donated poles, J. Henry Holland Cable Co. of Virginia Beach donated the cables and the Mildred Knight Sunday School class offered financial support.
Several people worked on the contraption, spending two hours at the True Value Home Center in Smithfield, putting it together.
``We did that,'' Sawyer said, ``so we wouldn't have to go back and forth for parts.''
Jarrette is strapped into a waist chester, similar to the safety gear used by people working at heights.
``The theory is about the same as the parachute jump - somewhat similar construction,'' Sawyer said.
``We should offer 50 cents a ride,'' Jo Anne said.
Jarrette's first trip was one walk, one way. Now, he makes eight round trips. His goal is 15.
The exercise gives him the opportunity to stand tall.
Jarrette stands tall in church.
``He stands when he sings hymns. He's paying the church back for their help and prayers, by getting better,'' Jo Anne said. ``Our goals are - that he will walk and get involved in other normal activities. Everything he does now is at a slower speed than normal. To get him up to speed will take a long time.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo on cover
Jarrette Campbell and Michael Jordan...
Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
When Jarrette Campbell isn't busy earning straight-A grades at
Nansemond River High, he enjoys playing games on his computer.
Jarrette Campbell gets some help from his mother, Jo Anne Thomas, in
standing up to show off the Chicago Bulls jacket he received from
the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
by CNB