Written by Director, Matt Starr
JJ House is an eleven-year-old boy from Mount Vernon, Ohio, who was born with brittle bone syndrome. He wasn’t expected to live through the night following his birth, but he amazed his doctors even then. His birth family was unable to care for him, so JJ was placed in Foster Care. It wasn’t until 2007, when Sharon and Ray House adopted him that his life became much better.
Because the 37 broken bones in his body have never healed properly, JJ uses a wheelchair to move from one place to another. Despite technological, architectural, and medical advances made by businesses, schools, vehicles, and recreational places to accommodate people in wheelchairs, it is still difficult for JJ to go from place to place. He cannot go out and play on the playground like other kids, or participate in a game of baseball or basketball. This is why he chose theatre to pursue his dream which is to direct a musical. How I Became A Pirate, took place at the Memorial Theater in Mount Vernon, Ohio, September 27-28, 2013.
When I started sharing this story with some of my film-making friends and colleagues, they all began taking an interest in JJ. Before you knew it, we had people all over the United States who wanted to be a part of this project.
JJ’s story is important to everyone because his is a story of courage, conviction, and tenacity. The courage to dream big and find people to help you accomplish that dream in the face of daunting obstacles is more relevant today than ever. Having the conviction to not allow a disability (perceived or real) to get in the way of our dreams is nothing less than inspirational. The tenacity to relentlessly pursue our passions is essentially the American Dream. The cliché is the truth here: JJ is not asking for a handout – only a hand up.
When you couple these qualities with a charming young man whose contagious smile and life force brightens the world around you, you have the recipe for a story that can impact the world. JJ had every reason to give up long ago, but he didn’t – he is not finished making his mark on this world. In fact, he’s only begun. With JJ’s courage, conviction, and tenacity, the community created a land of pirates singing and dancing, an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion, a world of laughter and hope, and the promise of wholeness and purpose as a community and as individuals.
When people look at JJ, on the surface he is a cute little kid in a wheelchair. Very easily, one can take pity on him because of his disability and challenges that he will face for the rest of his life. But once you get to know JJ, very quickly you see a giant growing into the world – a world where everyone is to be included. We live in a time where people are supposed to look and behave a certain ways. Personal imperfections that run counter to these expectations are at the heart of the dysfunction and self-destruction we create in our own minds. However, JJ exemplifies that imperfection and vulnerability is what the human experience is really about. For it is in acknowledging our own imperfections and vulnerability where we learn to feel that we are worthy of acceptance, respect, and love. Only then can we experience true joy.
JJ House is an eleven-year-old boy from Mount Vernon, Ohio, who was born with brittle bone syndrome. He wasn’t expected to live through the night following his birth, but he amazed his doctors even then. His birth family was unable to care for him, so JJ was placed in Foster Care. It wasn’t until 2007, when Sharon and Ray House adopted him that his life became much better.
Because the 37 broken bones in his body have never healed properly, JJ uses a wheelchair to move from one place to another. Despite technological, architectural, and medical advances made by businesses, schools, vehicles, and recreational places to accommodate people in wheelchairs, it is still difficult for JJ to go from place to place. He cannot go out and play on the playground like other kids, or participate in a game of baseball or basketball. This is why he chose theatre to pursue his dream which is to direct a musical. How I Became A Pirate, took place at the Memorial Theater in Mount Vernon, Ohio, September 27-28, 2013.
When I started sharing this story with some of my film-making friends and colleagues, they all began taking an interest in JJ. Before you knew it, we had people all over the United States who wanted to be a part of this project.
JJ’s story is important to everyone because his is a story of courage, conviction, and tenacity. The courage to dream big and find people to help you accomplish that dream in the face of daunting obstacles is more relevant today than ever. Having the conviction to not allow a disability (perceived or real) to get in the way of our dreams is nothing less than inspirational. The tenacity to relentlessly pursue our passions is essentially the American Dream. The cliché is the truth here: JJ is not asking for a handout – only a hand up.
When you couple these qualities with a charming young man whose contagious smile and life force brightens the world around you, you have the recipe for a story that can impact the world. JJ had every reason to give up long ago, but he didn’t – he is not finished making his mark on this world. In fact, he’s only begun. With JJ’s courage, conviction, and tenacity, the community created a land of pirates singing and dancing, an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusion, a world of laughter and hope, and the promise of wholeness and purpose as a community and as individuals.
When people look at JJ, on the surface he is a cute little kid in a wheelchair. Very easily, one can take pity on him because of his disability and challenges that he will face for the rest of his life. But once you get to know JJ, very quickly you see a giant growing into the world – a world where everyone is to be included. We live in a time where people are supposed to look and behave a certain ways. Personal imperfections that run counter to these expectations are at the heart of the dysfunction and self-destruction we create in our own minds. However, JJ exemplifies that imperfection and vulnerability is what the human experience is really about. For it is in acknowledging our own imperfections and vulnerability where we learn to feel that we are worthy of acceptance, respect, and love. Only then can we experience true joy.