February 9, 2018

Action Alert:
Support 11 Year-Old Boy Paralyzed by Bullet


Update: The Chicago Tribune published a lengthy and moving profile of 12 year-old Jalen Ivy on September 26, 2018. Jalen has made significant progress in his physical therapy (he can now lift himself off his bed and transfer to his wheelchair), moved to a new home (which he loves), and started at a new school. He is dreaming about tomorrow again.


On the evening of January 31, 2018, 11 year-old Jalen Ivy was coming downstairs to the kitchen to get a snack before bed when suddenly bullets started tearing into the home he was in from outside.  One bullet hit Jalen in his arm and continued into his chest, paralyzing him from the waist down. 

Jalen and his mom, Judith Celio.

Jalen was an unintended victim of drive-by shooters. This was one of two-double shootings in Chicago that night that left three people dead and Jalen critically wounded.

Jalen wanted to be a paleontologist. Now, lying paralyzed in a hospital bed in pain, he’s telling his mom he no longer has dreams.

He really needs some  love and a lift. Please take one of the following actions to support Jalen:

1) Send a get-well card to Jalen via the following address:

Kelly Nichols
Attn: Jalen
P.O. Box 576
Highwood, IL 60040

2) Make a contribution on Jalen’s GoFundMe page to help the family pay for his medical expenses:

https://www.gofundme.com/for-jalen-and-his-family

3) Share or Tweet Jalen’s GoFund me link:

FB Post
This 11 year-old boy was paralyzed by a stray bullet in a terrible night of gun violence in Chicago in late January. Please consider helping him and his family pay for the exorbitant medial expenses ahead.

https://www.gofundme.com/for-jalen-and-his-family

Twitter
Help 11 y/o who was shot & paralyzed during terrible night of gun violence in #Chicago on Jan. 31 https://www.gofundme.com/for-jalen-and-his-family

Once you have taken one of these actions, click the orange banner below to report taking action!

[h/t to Shaun Dakin for sending Jalen’s info my way. Shaun knows Jalen and his family through a colleague in Moms Clean Air Force.]


This is an action alert, NOT an online petition. Please take the action before filling out the fields below.

36 people have taken this action