Support goes out to teen
Sarah Day — Staff WriterArticle Photos
BRICELYN - A community is broader than its borders. For a Bricelyn teen and his family, this has been proven true by the thousands.
Collin Jacobson, 15, and his friend Dan Stallkamp, 18, were at the Stallkamp residence after summer school Tuesday when Collin suffered a .38-caliber gunshot wound to his left eye. At 4:33 p.m., emergency services were called and he was airlifted to St. Marys Hospital in Rochester.
The Faribault County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident, but Sheriff Mike Gormley believes it was an accidental shooting.
Kim Jacobson, Collin's mother, believes it's important for people to know that Stallkamp possibly helped keep her son alive.
"(The sheriff) told us he held Collin up so his airway was open," she said. "He shouldn't probably have even made it to Rochester. I don't think it's his time to go yet; we haven't loved him long enough."
Since the shooting, waves of support have come from across the nation for the Jacobson family.
Kim set up a CaringBridge Web page: www.caringbridge.com/visit/collinjacobson . Between the time it was set up Wednesday and Friday evening, the site had nearly 6,000 page views and more than 300 comments of support.
Each journal entry is signed: Steve, Kim, Ashley and Collin.
Kim writes about Collin's status throughout the day. He has swelling in his brain from the injury, and that is everyone's biggest concern. Swelling is expected for five to seven days, and they're on day three.
"He's still definitely far from being out of the woods as far as the swelling," Kim said via telephone. "He had a very good night. He got a slight temperature but not like it was. He is responding to some touch. He will squeeze my hand when I ask him to."
When medical staff checks up on him he's also giving "thumbs up" signs to their questions. Collin is unable to speak at this point.
Kim writes on the CaringBridge page that Collin was able to open his right eye, and is responding to commands.
"There's still not a whole lot of movement on the right side of his body, which was paralyzed the first day," she said.
Movement is the most significant progress Collin has made as well as his continuing responses.
"We were told last night (Thursday) it will get worse before it gets better," Kim said.
Now, the family waits.
Kim describes her son as a "very very loving young man."
"He's a big boy; everyone mistakes him for an 18-year-old," she said. "He's very kind-hearted. Collin has a beautiful smile. He's always been complimented on his smile."
She called him a huge "motorhead." Kim recalls this past winter when he broke his leg snowmobiling, he was back again a week later - of course not to her knowledge. He also has a love for dirt bikes.
More importantly than his hobbies for his family is Collin's strength.
"He has a lot of determination and a lot of strength," Kim said. "He has a lot going for him. We keep clinging to hope. He's going to persevere. It's very hard to watch and it never hurt so bad."
A fellow United South Central student formed a prayer group on Facebook.com called 1 John 5:14. It had 72 members as of Friday evening. The passage in the group's name reads, "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us."
Faith is in the forefront of the family's lives, as Kim is the youth director at Trinity Lutheran Church.
Messages on Collin's CaringBridge page pledge continuous prayers for his recovery and for the family.
"It's just unbelievable," Kim said. "People just feel helpless. They want to do something. Prayer. Prayer without ceasing. There are times I struggle for what to pray for. They need to stand in the gap for me and pray without ceasing."
The journal entries on the CaringBridge page are fairly positive. Kim says she stays positive through the support of others.
"Those people that are standing in the gap for me, for Steve and I," she said. "I absolutely could not do this without them and without the Lord."
The support the family has received has come from across the nation and even overseas.
"It means the world," Kim said. "It's very humbling. If you would talk to anybody, Steve and I are the caregivers. It's hard to take. It's very humbling and it's what's getting us through."
Other forms of support have taken shape throughout the area. A fund has been set up at the First Bank in Blue Earth for the Jacobson family. Donations also can be made at Electric Service Company and Thrivent Financial, both in Blue Earth.
Each year, a party is held for area church youth groups in Frost with the Oswald family; something Collin enjoyed attending. They are holding a Youth Night in honor of Collin this year. It will include a prayer vigil and midnight worship. The event is for all ages, and will include volleyball, ultimate Frisbee, music, games and food. It runs from 5 p.m. to midnight on Aug. 9 at 8999 State Hwy. 254, Frost. The group asks people to bring donations for the Jacobson family to help with medical costs.
Collin's classmates also are ordering 500 blue bracelets with "Collin's Hope" written on them.
The family encourages visits to St. Marys by Collin's friends and classmates.
"They're probably wondering if they should or shouldn't," Kim said. "We're hoping that they do. We will be here for months."
