MINOT, Maine (WABI) – Back in January, we brought you the story of Minot’s Matt Boutwell. The lifelong San Francisco 49ers fan spent last NFL season traveling the country to watch his favorite team play.
Last weekend, he was once again on the road, but this time he brought his 8-year-old son with him. It was a special trip for Jamison who could use some normalcy as he waits for a new kidney.
“[I was] very excited. Very, very, very very excited,” said Jamison.
Last weekend’s trip was a present for Jamison’s birthday. San Francisco quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo made the day even more special when he spotted Jamison in the crowd and gave him a towel.
“Very short story, and the reason why? It was my birthday. Problem solved,” said Jamison.
For Matt, it was a bonding experience with his son and a chance to provide a sense of normalcy. That’s something Jamison’s mom and stepmom back home were grateful for.
“It really means a lot to me, honestly. Matt’s a great dad,” said Bethany Short, Jamison’s mom.
“He’s had a lot going on recently, so just seeing him being able to enjoy himself and having fun and not having to worry about stuff, that’s what matters the most,” said April Short, Jamison’s stepmom.
Amid the joyful moments were signs of Jamison’s everyday reality.
“He had to take a big break on our trip this weekend. He went to sleep for about 14 hours. He slept from 4 o’clock on Saturday until about 6 o’clock on Sunday morning, just getting re-acclimated to everything,” said Matt.
The family says they first noticed something was off when they started potty training. Trip after trip to the doctor yielded no answers, and they say their questions were dismissed.
“Finally, it got to the point we switched his pediatrician and the very first appointment they did a urine and they came back and they’re like, it’s probably something you’ve never heard of, but we think he has diabetes insipidus,” said April.
That was just the tip of the iceberg.
The true cause was a blockage in Jamison’s urinary tract that the family says should have been caught before he was even born.
“He was born with something that wasn’t caught, and it wasn’t caught for years. It damaged his bladder and his kidneys, and now we’re chronically managing those on a daily basis,” said Matt.
About three years ago, they learned Jamison would need a kidney transplant, but they’re still searching for a donor.
In the meantime, they started a Facebook page, “Kidney4Jamison,” to amplify their plea for help.
“I’d say #ShareYourSpare. It’s something we would be forever grateful to have someone donate to Jamison,” said Bethany.
Jamison, whose condition is responsible for his undersized stature, says he looks forward to the day he can experience life with more energy, making future trips with dad a little easier.
“I’m gonna be older and taller! I’m gonna be tall!” said Jamison.
“And feeling healthy?” asked Matt.
“Yeah,” said Jamison.
“Would you be grateful?” asked Matt.
“Yeah,” replied Jamison.
The family asks anyone who’s interested in seeing if they’re a match for Jamison to message them through the ‘Kidney4Jamison’ Facebook page.
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