Bakin’ the goods for Jacko

By Ivy Jensen

Jan 21, 2019

A CAMPAIGN is being launched to raise money for a teenager who was paralysed after diving into the Murray River near Echuca last month.

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Bendigo’s Jackson Davie, 19, shattered his spine and is confined to a wheelchair after the swimming accident three weeks before Christmas.

After spending weeks at The Alfred and Austin hospitals, he has just been moved to the Royal Talbot to begin his rehabilitation which is expected to take about six months.

His aunt Suzie Shearer said her young son and budding chef Lachy had recently held a bake sale and decided to do another one to raise money to help with his cousin’s medical and living costs into the future.

So together with cousins Milly and Cody Hoghton, Lachy spent a whole day in the kitchen baking lots of goodies to sell at Thursday’s bake sale outside Coolabah Turf, which Suzie owns and operates.

‘‘We sold almost all of it and raised about $250,’’ Lachy said.

‘‘We just want to help Jack get back on track.’’

All funds raised will be donated to the Fight4everyinch campaign to help ‘Razorback Jack’ in his gruelling rehabilitation journey.

‘‘For him, it’s about inches and how much he can move,’’ Suzie said.

Suzie said Jackson had just got his licence and was on his first trip away with friends when the accident occurred.

‘‘They went out to the sandbar at Benarca. He went for a morning swim hit a log and smashed his C5,’’ she said.

‘‘It affected his diaphragm so he couldn’t even breathe on his own.

‘‘At the moment he can’t move his legs, he’s got arms but no hand movements.

‘‘He’s progressing every day. The most awesome thing is his mindset. It’s a new normal for him.’’

Suzie said Jackson stayed with her family every summer for as long as she could remember, working and helping out at Coolabah Turf.

‘‘He’s just an amazing kid and we all love him very much,’’ she said.

‘‘We just want to do what we can.’’