One of them was named JT Townsend. A few years later, his story would intersect with another teenager named Karim from the same town, who faced a rare occurrence of his own.

While JT's injury is tragically one of the rarest in sports, Karim’s story is one of the rarest in the medical world. Diagnosed with Schaaf-Yang Syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects only a handful of people worldwide, Karim’s journey has been a fight against the odds from the very start.

Born prematurely at 37 weeks, Karim’s first months were filled with medical challenges.

"I didn't know anything was really wrong until he was about a year old,” said his mom, Karimah. “He wasn't progressing and didn't look like other babies. Doctors automatically told us he had cerebral palsy, so we really didn't know what was going on with him."

After years of uncertainty, a geneticist finally gave the family their answer, and Karim was diagnosed with Schaaf-Yang Syndrome, an ultra-rare disorder that affects numerous aspects of development, including severe skeletal issues, spastic cerebral palsy, and feeding difficulties.

But once they knew what they were up against, they were able to focus on finding solutions. Finally, they could concentrate on managing his care and improving his quality of life, though the battle would still be far from easy. 

Tragically, Karim’s father died when he was seven years old, leaving his mother as the sole caretaker. They’ve had each other’s backs since the very beginning, but it’s been a bumpy road.

Karim is non-verbal and has significant physical challenges that require constant support. But it’s not just the physical obstacles Karim faces that define his journey—there’s also the emotional toll of caring for a child with such a complex medical condition. 

"I'm a proud mom because he's made so many strides in the last year," she told us. “But it definitely hasn’t been easy.”

After months of vomiting blood, a G-tube helped restore some balance to Karim’s life, allowing him to start eating solid foods again and giving him a new lease on life. Karim has also undergone multiple surgeries on his legs, enduring long stretches of recovery in thigh-high casts to try and straighten his feet. 

Despite all that he endures, Karim’s personality shines through. He is known as the sweetest kid, with a joy and resilience that surprises everyone who meets him. "If he doesn't want you to touch him, he'll politely move your hand," Karimah laughs. "If he doesn't want to hear you, he’ll put his fingers in his ears. He has a funny personality, loves music, and is just a very happy kid.”

So how does Karim’s story intersect with JT Townsend’s? It’s a pretty amazing demonstration of the ripple effect of generosity. 

JT suffered a spinal cord injury on Friday, October 8, 2004, in a football game against Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Florida.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," Townsend said about that October night in 2004. "I was going in on a safety blitz and hit the guy and I fell."

His breath came harder and harder until he faded into unconsciousness. He woke up in a hospital, a quadriplegic.

He faced a long and difficult journey in recovery, but JT never gave up. He went on to graduate from the University of North Florida (UNF) with a major in Sports Management, before he unexpectedly and tragically passed away on June 5, 2013, from heart complications.

Before his passing, Townsend started the J.T. Townsend Foundation, which raises money to provide medical equipment and assistance to others with disabilities in Northeast Florida.

Through the JT Townsend Foundation, Karim received a bike—something that has had an incredible impact on his life. This gift, part of JT's mission to support individuals with disabilities, has brought joy and freedom to Karim, offering him a way to engage with the world in a way that was once out of reach.

Much like JT, who faced unimaginable adversity after his injury, Karim’s family has faced their own set of obstacles. One of the biggest has been transportation. For a while, Karim rode the bus to the local school, but a horrific experience took that option off the table.

“On this particular day, the nurse was late getting to the bus to help get him off,” Karimah explained. “By the time she got there, he was hanging from the seatbelt and sliding down off the wheelchair. They didn't move him up or anything – he was hanging off the chair. They were only 15 minutes away from the school but the school and driver said they weren't allowed to touch Karim or move him. The nurse arrived and took a photo because she was so mad they would let that happen to him.”

Because of that and some other issues – like Karim needing to ride the bus for nearly two hours – they decided to homeschool him. It’s been really tough because Karim misses school and his friends, and he deserves to have some semblance of normalcy. 

Karim’s growth has also made it increasingly difficult for Karimah to lift him and his wheelchair into their vehicle. 

One day, Karimah was trying to lift her son into their truck when she dropped him, causing both of them to fall. She’s still brought to tears when she talks about it, and it led her to make the difficult decision to reach out for help. "I didn't want to take a van away from another family, so I was really hesitant to sign up," Karimah said. "But after that day I dropped him, I knew I had to do something."

Now, thanks to the generosity of Chive Charities’ donors, Karim and Karimah are receiving a wheelchair-accessible van that will make a life-changing difference. It will allow them to leave the house safely, get Karim to his medical appointments, and—perhaps most importantly—let Karim return to school and socialize with friends. The total impact is $51,657.

"The van will bring life to our family again. It will make things so much easier on me, the nurses, and Karim. When you donate, it’s a total blessing. It will let us be part of the world again."

We can’t know what challenges will be laid before us. Sometimes, it’s a tragedy that threatens to steal our joy and diminish our hope. One hit on the football field. One cell in the genetic chain. One moment that changes everything.

But sometimes, that circumstance creates a ripple effect we can never fully see or understand. That tragedy becomes a teenager with a mission. It becomes a foundation that seeks to help other kids and families facing similar challenges –  it becomes The JT Townsend Foundation.

Sometimes, a simple website gallery and comment section morphs into a community-led movement to change more lives. It becomes a foundation that seeks to help other kids and families facing similar challenges – it becomes Chive Charities.

Different circumstances. Different paths. Same life-changing impact. Today, it was for Karim and Karimah. Next week, it will be someone new. But what matters most is being part of the movement to make the world 10% happier, one grant at a time. We can’t wait to see what else is still to come. DONATE HERE.