Baby Jack

When Jack from Llanelli was just a year old, he suffered a life-threatening accident at home, fracturing his skull after a fall. Though initially conscious after the fall, he quickly deteriorated, becoming unresponsive on the way to the hospital. He was placed in an induced coma and taken by the Air Ambulance team in a rapid response vehicle along with a police escort to the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital. During the fall, Jack had fractured his skull and a resulting bleed was putting pressure on his brain. He underwent emergency neurosurgery to relieve the swelling and spent 72 hours on the paediatric critical care unit in an induced coma until he was stable enough to be moved down to Owl Ward to continue his recovery.

Despite fears that he might not regain his speech or mobility, Jack started showing remarkable signs of recovery. With the dedicated support of his family and clinical team, he went on to defy all expectations.

Now, two years on, Jack continues to amaze everyone with his progress. His mum, Jess, shared a little update on how he’s doing:

“Two years after the accident that changed our lives, I find myself reflecting on just how grateful I am. Jack is now three-years-old, and he is thriving beyond all expectations. He is fab and mad, always full of energy, laughter and an infectious joy that lights up a room.

“This year, the anniversary of his accident on February 10th felt harder than the last. Last year, we were focused on fundraising and giving back, but now, with time to reflect, the weight of what happened has truly sunk in. As a parent, you never expect something like this to happen. We’ve been told that with traumatic brain injuries in children, the long-term effects may not be fully understood until they are much older. But our health visitors have reassured us that he is meeting every milestone and despite everything he’s been through, Jack is doing brilliantly.

“Through everything, we have been so incredibly supported by the helpful and caring hospital team and the additional services that the charity provides made such a huge difference. The play team kept Jack entertained and engaged and Jack just loved the therapy dog visits. Both Jamie and I felt like we weren’t just in a hospital – it was a place filled with warmth, kindness, and people who genuinely cared.

“I will never forget the sensory room. It became our little escape, a place where we could step away from the four walls of the hospital room but still be close enough to the care Jack needed. Everything about Noah’s Ark was so child-friendly and colourful; you could feel that it was designed for children. It’s strange to say, but it really was a nice place to be even in the midst of something so terrifying.

“One of the most invaluable parts of our experience was the support we received from Llinos, the PCCU psychologist who is also funded by the charity. Even though we were admitted over the weekend, as soon as she was back, she reached out to us. As parents, we were at our lowest and really struggling to process what had happened. But Llinos helped us reframe our trauma in a way that allowed us to move forward.

“Now, looking at Jack, I feel so incredibly lucky. He never stops talking from the moment he wakes up, keeping us all laughing with his cheeky personality. He’s absolutely obsessed with ice cream! One of our favourite memories from this past year was finally getting to go on a family holiday to Cyprus with his big sisters, Ella and Ava. Jack was in his element, he couldn’t get enough of the water, jumping into the pool at every opportunity. I started taking him to swimming classes when he was just 10 weeks old, and I think we may have created a little water baby!

“Before Jack’s accident, we were naïve. We knew there was a children’s hospital, but we had no idea where it was or that it was Noah’s Ark. Now, we know that it was the only place Jack could have gone, the best place for him to be. I cannot put into words how thankful we are for the doctors, nurses, and staff who saved our little boy’s life.

“Though the future is still uncertain in some ways, one thing is clear—our little boy is a fighter. And thanks to the care he received, we get to see him grow, laugh, and fill our home with joy every single day. For that, we will be forever grateful.”

Over the last 25 years, supporters of the Noah’s Ark Charity have played a vital role in helping to building the children’s hospital, equipping it with life-saving equipment, and funding services that support families during their stay – and to this day, you continue to make all this possible. Thank you.