PRAY4J
Nate Oats, head mens basketball coach University of Alabama
After Jackson got sick initially, the football coach at Jackson's high school grew up with Coach Oats. Since Jackson was an Alabama fan due to his grandfathers influence, a meeting was set up.
Jackson met Coach Oats and a friendship was established. Coach Oats consistently encouraged Jackson with phone calls, texts and invitations to basketball games. Once when Jackson was in the hospital in Cincinnati, Coach Oats called Jackson and said, "We need you here for the Auburn game." Jackson said he was in the hospital in Cincinnati. Coach Oats told him if he can get out, the team needs him. Jackson got determined and was discharged before that game and drove to Tuscaloosa and was in attendance to see Alabama get the win.
Jackson was in the ICU after a big surgery and survival was critical. Jackson asked for his Alabama jersey to be laid over him and a picture texted to Coach Oats. The caption said "Coach Oats, thank you for treating me like family."
When Jackson had been in Cincinnati Children's Hospital for about 23 months, Coach Oats said that Jackson has a place with the team if he even has the opportunity. After prayers, we decided that if Jackson could get out of the hospital, we would move him to Tuscaloosa to be with the team. Jackson got determined and was discharged three months later. The next day, Jackson was at practice with the team. Coach Oats designated Jackson as a volunteer manager. Jackson was now a part a team. It gave Jackson purpose to get up and go to practice even when he didn't feel like it. It probably saved Jackson's life. Even though Jackson got too sick to help before the season ended, the Crimson Tide made it to the Final Four. Coach Oats called Jackson and said, "it is not a coincidence that we reached the Final Four the first year you are with the team." Coach Oats included Jackson with a Final Four ring as a member of the team.
