HD Blog

Those realities accompany Jake everywhere, but their voices were especially loud during those summertime trips back home. While part of him couldn't wait to see his father, a part of Jake cringed at the thought.

"I'm wondering if it's going to be a lot worse or if it's going to be a good visit with him," Jake said. "For the most part, the last few have (been good)."

The favorite activity for father and son was to head to a nearby golf course, sit down and catch up on the world while acquaintances come and go. Jake didn't mind carrying the conversational load.

"He doesn't say much now," Jake said of his father. "It's basically yes, no, one-word phrase answers. He can't elaborate on anything."

How does Jake know it's been a good visit with John?

"When I leave and he's smiling," the son said, "like he's been happy to see me."

Talking is therapeutic

You might wonder how Jake can do this. How can he talk so freely about something so ongoing and painful?

"It is hard," Jake said, "but at the same time I kind of look at it's a way for me to express myself and let people know about it. Kind of get things off my chest. It's kind of a way for me to vent when I talk to people about it, because otherwise I'd just hold it in."

His mother, a special education teacher, is the same way.

"(Jake) has his moments where he'll look at something and be down for a little bit, but he really does have my personality," Vicki said. "I'm not good at staying down. It's too much work."

Mother and son subsist on multiple daily telephone conversations, a wide-open dialogue and their faith in God.

That focus was evident during the season-opening series against Mercyhurst. With his parents in attendance at the Kohl Center, Jake scored three goals and helped the Badgers to 3-2 and 8-0 wins.

Eaves said Jake is more at peace with his situation now than he was last year. "Last year it always seemed like there was a cloud there all the time," Eaves said. "Now I see him smiling and a lot more outgoing in his personality."

Eaves thinks Jake found peace through diligence. "Just working through it, facing this adverse situation with his mom and talking about it," Eaves said. "There's been a natural maturation process."