Jasper Peterson holds on to his dreams

Holding

on to his dreams

PHOTO SUPPLIED

Jasper Peterson, a western Weber County 11-year-old battling Batten disease, on a shing outing along the Cub River in Idaho. He’s with his dad, Matt Peterson, and his younger brother, Owen.

Batten disease hasn’t tempered 11-year-old Jasper Peterson’s passion for farming, ranching

BY TIM VANDENACK

Standard-Examiner

It all started, or at least became apparent, when teachers noticed that Jasper Peterson seemed to be having vision problems.

That was back in 2015, when the western Weber County boy, born Chase Peterson but preferring the moniker Jasper, was in first grade. Problems persisted, defied easy explanation, and ultimately he was diagnosed with Batten disease, a rare disorder of the nervous system that typically claims its victims when they’re in their late teens or early 20s. Sight loss is usually the first symptom.