7-year-old boy gets Phillies-themed prosthetic arm

Philadelphia has its share of die-hard sports fans and, with a recent move, one young boy may have cemented his status among the most ardent fans.

As, even at the young age of 7-year-old, you might be hard pressed to find a more dedicated Phillies fan than Jackson.

The Shriners Children’s Hospital shared Jackson’s story, explaining that the young Phillies fan was born without a left arm and has gone without a prosthetic arm until recently.

And, when the opportunity came to design the arm, Jackson wanted to share his love of the Phillies by getting the prosthetic covered in the team’s logo.

“I love my prosthetic, this is my baby,” Jackson said in a statement. “I want to wear it everywhere I can. I’ve been working on things like holding a piece of paper or opening a water bottle. My occupational therapist at Shriners Children’s, Jackie, is the sweetest person ever. I love working with her. We play fun games like Connect 4 that help me with my arm control. It’s great.”

In a statement, hospital officials said that Jackson chose that pattern for his first prosthetic because of his love for Phillies players like Alec Bohm and Bryce Harper.

He started care with Shriners Children’s when he was just eight-months-old, hospital officials said, and he only recently felt ready to try a prosthetic arm.

His mom, Stephanie, took him straight to Shriners Children’s where they custom-fitted and custom-made his prosthetic arm in the Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services (POPS) department, hospital officials said.

Since receiving his new arm, officials said, Jackson has been going to occupational therapy appointments to help build muscle on his left side and to get familiar with the prosthetic.

“When I saw him open the water bottle for the first time, I cried,” Jackson’s dad said in a statement. “Just to be able to see him now have the ability to do something that we know has been a struggle for him for years was incredible. We can see him starting to get more comfortable with the arm and improve everyday using it. Shriners Children’s has been great in explaining everything about the prosthetic and helping him use it.”

And, the hospital said, Jackson’s love of the Phillies runs deep. When he gets home from school, the Phillies connoisseur writes out the team’s lineup and then goes outside to reenact each of the batters coming to the plate, the hospital said in a statement.

He even makes sure this is done authentically, batting from the left or right hand side of the plate depending on the player and, officials said, he also announces each player as they step into the batter’s box with booming authority just as the Phillies’ stadium announcer does at Citizens Bank Park.

“I love going to the Phillies games and seeing them hit home runs,” Jackson said in a statement. “I also love seeing the Phillie Phanatic, and the atmosphere at the game is crazy. When the players walk up to the plate, it’s really awesome to hear their walk-up songs and I sing along. After a big hit, it’s cool to see the guys cheer for each other. When they hit a home run, I’m just like, ‘Let’s go!’ as loud as I can.”