In many Team IMPACT friendships, kids and student-athletes connect through their shared love of sports. In many others, the connection comes through shared interests off the field. For Adam and Jackson on the Detroit Mercy soccer team, one of the biggest common interests happened to be burgers.
“Adam’s favorite moments with Jackson and the team have to do with all the times that they hung out off the field, especially when they check out new restaurants while Jackson and Adam share their love of a good burger,” said Kara, Adam’s mom. This shared love of burgers may have been the initial spark, but in their time together, Adam and Jackson have learned that they have many other things in common, too.
From the start, Jackson embraced Adam joining the team. “Part of what makes this friendship so unique and special has been seeing it grow. Jackson was one of the original teammates that sent Adam a ‘welcome to the team’ email when Adam first became part of the team. Now, Adam, Jackson, and a few other guys communicate regularly,” Kara said. “Jackson, along with the team, have shown Adam how to develop a meaningful friendship. It was something that our family just was not able to do. But this team, they did it in a way that Adam could relate. Jackson is always willing to go above and beyond, and he consistently embraces Adam as a friend and teammate.”
When Adam learned that Team IMPACT was running their Teammate of the Year campaign earlier this year, he got creative and had fun delivering his breaking news nomination for Jackson.
Both on the field and off, Adam and Jackson have each other’s backs. When Adam is at practice, the Detroit Mercy soccer team knows they have their biggest fan watching. And when Adam takes the field for his own sporting events, he knows his Titans are returning the favor. “Adam was totally blown away during one of his games in his first unified soccer season when he heard Jackson yell out his number from the stands,” Kara said. “The look on Adam’s face was priceless! And when he saw more of the team, he was so excited.”
The team’s constant support extends past the soccer field too, wrapping Adam in a year-round fan base at all his events. In the off season, Jackson and the team surprised Adam at one of his hockey games. “Adam saw Jackson walking with his dad, and when he realized it was Jackson, we all saw his smile!” Kara recalled of the day. “Then, when he realized the entire team was there, I don’t think anyone missed that huge smile from behind his mask. Just about everyone at that game was blown away by the cheers and total support, not only for Adam but for his entire hockey team.”
Much of the time Adam and the Detroit Mercy soccer team spend together revolves around fun. Whether it’s sports or food, Adam and his teammates are always down for a good time. But the support they show one another shines through, even when things may feel a little less fun. When Adam was recently hospitalized, the support from his team helped bring light and laughter with a surprise visit to the hospital. “That was definitely the highlight of the week for not only Adam and our family but also for Adam’s medical team, who now understands our gratitude and appreciation for Team IMPACT and UDM,” Kara said. This visit, like many of the off-campus activities with the team, was spearheaded by Jackson.
“My favorite thing is seeing Adam talk to Jackson about any and everything. Adam even reached out to Jackson when he was struggling with his chemistry homework,” Kara said. “Jackson has this amazing ability to read Adam and know what to say, even when Adam is struggling with the words himself. We love how encouraging the entire team is when it comes to Adam. They take the time to listen, teach/explain and have embraced Adam in ways that we couldn’t even imagine.”
Knowing he has a full team of support behind him, Adam has blossomed into a more self-assured and outgoing version of himself, a version that is looking forward to the future and setting goals for himself. “Adam’s confidence has grown by leaps and bounds. After spending time on campus with the team, he is super excited about college,” Kara said. Since joining the team, Adam and his family have not only found a new love of soccer but a new support system that helps Adam socialize, problem solve, and have fun, even when things feel difficult.
“Jackson has been a huge support for Adam since the first day they met, but especially this past year while Adam has been dealing with a lot of appointments and medical testing,” Kara said. “He continuously encourages Adam and fully embraces the spirit of inclusion—all means all! Adam has said repeatedly that Jackson makes him feel like he really is part of the team; plus, the fact that he likes a good burger is a huge win in Adam’s book! Our family is so incredibly grateful for Jackson and the Titan Family!”