On March 2, 2013, a ten year old boy named Mitchell Jones passed away in his home surrounded by his family. Struggling and suffering for years with a progressive muscular degenerative disease known as Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, Mitchell fought valiantly to continue to live the life of the average child. DMD is fatal, typically in the early to mid twenties, as the disease begins to affect more and more muscles, eventually resulting in damage to the heart’s basic functions. Mitchell’s case was more unique; he faced heart problems before the rest of his body had surrendered.
At such a delicate age, Mitchell was unable to experience
many of the things that his family had expected he would be present for. To
him, Santa was real and girls were gross. Innocent until the end of his time on
earth, Mitchell inspired his family to capture and cherish the best and worst
moments of their lives, to appreciate time because it stops for no one, and to
share love and joy with the world.
Since the time of his diagnosis in 2005 until his passing,
Mitchell’s family worked hard to provide him with as many experiences and joys
of childhood as possible. Recently, as Mitchell became weaker, his family could
sense the end of his life was approaching and did their best to create many
wonderful final memories and smiles together. From a Nerf gun fight with
Mitchell as he lay behind a man-made barricade and arranged different tactical
maneuvers for his assigned team, to a trip in the last week of his life to the
store to spend his chore money on toys, Mitchell lived each day physically
limited by the weaknesses of his disease but thriving in spirit from the love
and tenderness of a family that refused to surrender for as long as Mitchell
was able to fight.
Mitchell is remembered for many things, but among them for
his love of all things Lego. At the end of his life as his muscles became
weaker, he was unable to build with them as he had in the past. Lego were one
of the landmarks of childhood that had lasted until the final days for
Mitchell, and his passion for using his imagination and creating even as he
fought for basic life functions should inspire us all- we should never give up
the driving force within us, never willingly surrender our passions despite
knowing that every story has a final chapter. Mitchell’s ability to face
head-on the things that adults even struggle to accept, and to continue to
remain child-like in his love and pleasure of the world, is a humbling reminder
that attitude is everything.
In honor of Mitchell’s inspirational innocence and his love
of Lego, we wish to arrange a donation drive for Lego products that will be delivered
to the Children’s Hospital
of Boston. We hope that
other children who are struggling to enjoy their childhood despite all odds can
find joy and comfort in a carefree moment of learning, creating, and imagining,
and that their happiness will honor the beauty of Mitchell’s life and the love
he shared with his family.
If you wish to contribute, please send a Lego set of any
size or description to:
Cathy’s Creations
P.O. Box 28
Watertown, MA 02471
Cathy’s Creations
P.O. Box 28
Watertown, MA 02471
Due to the nature of donating to a children’s hospital, all
products intended for the hospital must be unopened and new in packaging or the donations cannot be
accepted.
However, we are also accepting donations of Lego to sell by the cup at a fundraiser drive for PPMD!
However, we are also accepting donations of Lego to sell by the cup at a fundraiser drive for PPMD!
Anyone who wishes to support Parent Project MD through the
purchase of a Mitchell’s Journey Pendant is invited to view our listing on our
website. All proceeds are donated directly.
Please also consider visiting Mitchell's Journey's Fundraiser on Facebook for other ways to donate and participate. Your contributions are greatly appreciated!
Please also consider visiting Mitchell's Journey's Fundraiser on Facebook for other ways to donate and participate. Your contributions are greatly appreciated!
