March 28, 2024

Against all odds

Not expected to survive, 21-year-old graduates from NHS

Jordan Danks was born with the deck stacked against him.

Born at 23 weeks old, Jordan was more than 17 weeks premature. He spent the first seven months of his life in the hospital. Born blind, he suffers from Lennox Gastaut Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy and is intellectually disabled.

His twin brother Jayden died three days after birth. Despite those tall odds, Danks, one of the youngest surviving “preemies” in the United States, will proudly march across the stage with his classmates during Newton High School graduation, 3 p.m. Sunday at Maytag Park.

Weighing only one pound, six ounces at birth, Jordan faced an uphill battle from the moment he left the womb. Aneurysms, common in babies born prematurely, kept Jordan in the newborn intensive care unit at Mercy Hospital in Des Moines, as doctors worked to keep him alive. Doctors performed surgery on Jordan more than 20 times before he was 10 years old.

Early on, Jordan attended school at the Iowa School for the Blind in Vinton, where he learned to read Braille and cope with his disabilities. At first, he did well at the school, but as he got older, problems started to develop. He began acting out, and staff members at the school took everything out of his room in an attempt to solve some of his behavior issues. Looking back, his stepmother, Nancy Danks, said she believes Jordan was struggling with epilepsy, a condition that’s become increasingly prevalent for him as he’s gotten older. The Danks also missed their son, who left every Sunday night to attend classes at the school, only to return home the next Friday afternoon.

“He was just starting to have a bad time there. I think it was hard for him to be away from the family all week,” Nancy Danks said.

In an effort to help Jordan adjust, the Danks’ decided to keep him at home when he was scheduled to begin fourth-grade, sending him to Woodrow Wilson Elementary. At Newton, Jordan was able to find his niche, Nancy Danks said.

“The special education department here has been amazing,” Nancy Danks said. “They’ve treated him like he was their own child.”

At Newton High School, the feeling is mutual. Jordan, the only blind student at the high school, has built a special relationship with his teachers. Special education teacher Lori Gilmore, who’s worked with Jordan for the last four years, said she’s going to miss one of her most unique students. Gilmore said she’s always been impressed with his ability to take his disability in stride.

“It doesn’t seem to bother him,” Gilmore said. “He learns how to do everything in spite of it.”

A music lover, Jordan to wears headphones in the classroom and can spend hours listening to his favorite radio station, 105.7 KOKZ, a station based in the Cedar Falls-Waterloo area that plays classic rock. Often, he’ll make up songs to sing during class.

“He just has a really good sense of humor,” Gilmore said.

Like Gilmore, educational associate Julie McConnell has spent the last four years working with Jordan. The pair has forged a close bond, and McConnell said the high school won’t be the same without him. In order to help him with his studies, McConnell learned to read Braille. She said she’s hoping to stay in touch with Jordan after he graduates.

“What am I not going to miss, everything,” McConnell said. “It’s just not going to be the same.”

After he told teachers he wanted to be a disc jockey, teachers organized a trip to Newton’s KCOB, where Jordan had a chance to tour the station. Often Jordan will record himself announcing the song he’s listening to, and he’ll play the recording back for his teachers.

At graduation, Jordan’s classmates will help him cross the stage, something Gilmore said makes her proud.

“People here step up and help their neighbors,” Gilmore said. “They’re very caring about special needs kids at this school.”

An avid animal lover, Jordan volunteers at the Jasper County Animal Rescue League where he works in the cat room. Working with animals is one of his hobbies, and Danks said she plans to make sure he’s able to keep volunteering at least one day per week. Jordan’s hoping to make a more permanent bond, however.

“I was hoping we’d get a cat for graduation,” Jordan said.

After graduation, Jordan will start attending the day-hab program at Progress Industries in Newton, where staff members will work with him on improving his vocational skills. Occupational therapists will help Jordan learn to live on his own, including helping him with his cooking skills and teaching him to navigate a world away from home.

Ultimately, the Danks are hopeful Jordan will be able to move into one of Progress Industries group homes, sharing a house with other local residents who are coping with disabilities. Nancy said she’s not quite ready for her stepson to leave home.

“He keeps telling me, ‘I don’t want to live with you forever Mom’ but I’m not ready for him to go yet,” Nancy Danks said.

Jordan, who functions at the level of an 8 or 9-year old, will need plenty of help as he learns to transition into living in a group home setting. With no concept of “stranger danger,” Nancy Danks said she worries about her stepson, but she wants to see him become more independent. Jordan has been working on his cooking skills. The family leaves a shelf in the freezer open for him, and he’s able to cook himself breakfast every morning. The idea that Jordan is graduating on Sunday is something she’s still getting to, Nancy Danks said.

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. It’s exciting and I’m excited for him,” Nancy Danks said. “I feel really blessed, I can’t even put it into words how amazing they’ve all been.”

Contact David Dolmage at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or ddolmage@newtondailynews.com