QU | Student Spotlight
LIVING
PROOF by Jen Wingerter ’13
Jacob Flynn ’21 grew up in Mt Sterling, Illinois. Born at only 24 weeks, he weighed a tiny three pounds and half an ounce and spent the first six weeks of his life in a Springfield hospital. As a result of complications from his premature birth, Jacob has Cerebral Palsy (CP). “There is an assumption that all people with CP have the same limitations, but that is not true,” said Jacob’s mom Cherry Flynn. “I’ve told him since he was little how blessed he is. So many children who have CP are a lot worse. I don’t want him to feel sorry for himself. We can deal with physical limitations.” Growing up, he faced his limitations with ingenuity. Jacob taught himself to do many things using one hand. From learning how to hold a pencil or figuring out how to use a game controller to play Call of Duty, Jacob has pushed himself to the limit. “I learned mostly by trial and error,” said Jacob. “I’ve gotten better each year, figuring out ways that work best.”
“We can deal with physical limitations.” -Cherry Flynn
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QUniverse | Spring 2021
