Lakeland’s Jackson a hockey hero

By Marc Koorstra

(Originally published in Michigan Hockey Magazine, March 2010)

Every time Blake Jackson, a nine-year-old from White Lake, scores a goal, registers an assist or even just steps on the ice, it holds extra meaning. The points on the scoreboard and the carvings in the ice are the same, but what they represent – the adversity he has overcome – shines brighter than any goal lamp he lights up.

In November of 2001, hockey was the last thing on the minds of John and Kelly Jackson. Dreams of watching their son grow and develop a love for the game like his father suddenly turned into a parent’s worst nightmare after noticing some abnormal behavior.

“When he was 13 months he stopped walking and crawling and just wasn’t active,” John Jackson said. “We were concerned and decided to get him checked out.”

A trip to the hospital and an MRI revealed a tumor wrapped around Blake’s spine and in his chest. Within two hours he was in surgery to have the tumor removed along with four vertebrae. But the bad news was far from over at that point. The doctors told John and Kelly Jackson that their son’s cancer was Stage IV, the hardest to treat, and he had Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. They gave him a 10 percent chance of living. Even if Blake survived, he would probably never walk again, let alone skate.

But by February 2002 his outlook began to turn around. Chemo therapy was successful and Blake went into remission. In May he underwent a bone marrow transplant and remained cancer-free, although his recovery was far from done.

“We drove to the children’s hospital everyday for check-ups,” John Jackson said. “Eventually, everyday became every other day and then once a month and then once a year.”

Even though he was too young to remember the initial moment, during his time at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan, Blake received a visit from members of the Detroit Red Wings. The team frequents the facility and the Red Wings Wish Club has raised more than $250,000 for the hospital since 1995. As the visits continued the impact on Blake grew. With his recovery complete, he decided he would like to not just be a fan, but follow in his “buddies” footsteps and skate strides, including his favorite player Pavel Datsyuk.

Two years after his treatment ended, at five years old and four vertebrae short, Blake began playing house league hockey in Lakeland.

“It was so tremendous to see him take the ice let alone live and be able to walk with out four vertebrae,” John Jackson said.

And his first couple years were more than just a feel-good story. Blake, playing left wing, became one of the leading scorers in his leagues. He finished the 2008-09 season with 55 goals and 27 assists. Blake was also successful off the ice, though he was still playing hockey, winning a roller hockey national championship in July. 

This year he and his family agreed it was a good time to take a step up and play for the Lakeland Hawks 2000’s traveling team. Blake’s success has continued as he has scored 19 goals and 14 assists through about 34 games. But Blake is not that concerned with scoring goals.

“I like to get assists more,” he said. “They count just as much as goals.”

Lakeland head coach Brian Dicker constantly sees that positive attitude on display during games.

“Blake has a lot of passion – he lives and breathes the sport,” he said. “He’s got a nose for the puck and great hands, but he is also one of the most polite kids you will meet. After we finish he always asks if he can be excused from the locker room even though we tell him he doesn’t have to ask.

“He is definitely an inspiration – to see what’s he’s gone trough and for him to be able to come back from that. They’re such a great family and we love having them around the program,” Dicker added.

In December, Blake competed in his first Silver Stick Regional in Midland. Although the Hawks did not make it through the tournament as champions, John Jackson said it was a great experience for Blake. But something perhaps even more special took place just a couple days later. On Dec. 22, Blake and his family were invited to the Joe Louis Arena to reunite with the players who visited him in the hospital and motivated him to play hockey.

“They came to visit me and now I get to go visit them,” Blake says.

As for how long he will continue to play the game that played an important role in his recovery?

“As long as I can,” he said.