At the last appointment before Jake’s open-heart surgery, the doctors performed a final ultrasound and were amazed at what they saw. Jake’s tiny heart had miraculously healed itself and gone from what doctors described as “a piece of Swiss cheese,” to a strong heart with a single minor hole that was also beginning to correct itself. The surgery was cancelled. To this day, Jake has continued to beat all of the odds.

Jake is a quiet, soft-spoken 18 year old who recently graduated from Niskayuna High School. At age 16, he was one of the first students in his school district to enroll in Schenectady ARC’s school-to-work program. Exceeding all expectations, Jake thrived as the program introduced him to the workforce through internships and prepared him with the skills he would need to obtain employment. As a result of his success, more than eight of Jake’s fellow students joined him the following year.

Because of his never-ending determination, Jake has also grown to become a gifted athlete. He began skiing at age six and after graduating from one slope to the next, has blossomed into an excellent downhill skier, recently winning a silver medal at the STRIDE (Sports and Therapeutic Recreation/Developmental Education) Competition. Jake also participates in bowling, sailing, white water rafting and weight lifting.

Jake is also exceeding all academic expectations. He is currently enrolled at Schenectady County Community College, where he is taking two classes and hopes to take three more in the upcoming semester. A history buff, Jake has a passion for reading, loves Elvis and likes to try new experiences, especially restaurants.

Jake has been receiving services from Schenectady ARC since 2003. He currently receives service coordination and participates in the Life Prep program.