SInce age fifteen:

Jacob has always asked two questions: “Why not me?”, and “How hard can it really be?”

From fighting cancer as a teenager—to being featured in many non-profit fundraisers across DFW—to now serving on advisory boards, he truly doesn’t understand how he’s made it this far. Yet—he also knows he’s just getting started.

A young person with short hair and glasses lying in a hospital bed, connected to medical equipment and with an oxygen tube in their nose.

Dubbed a “future professional public speaker”, a “well-written man”, and “an inspiration to all”, Jacob instead sees himself as simply “Jacob”.

From humble beginnings as the youngest of nine on the outskirts of Whitesboro, Texas, he was a very shy kid. Starting at age fifteen though, when seeing an application for a fashion gala, he had a thought that would end up altering the trajectory of his life: “What if I just said yes?”

From ages 15 to 18 he fought cancer and largely missed out on a normal childhood. Yet those years turned out to be a blessing in disguise— they placed him in the spotlight and showed his true colors.

He was one of twenty models at the 2022 Children’s Cancer Fund Gala, where he was paired with NFL legend Roger Staubach. He later attended his first concert while sharing the stage with country artist Chase Rice and MLB player Derek Holland. And in 2025—despite never considering himself a runner and against his doctor’s advice—he ran his first marathon. Today he serves on advisory councils in DFW focused on making healthcare experiences better for the next generation, and he also advocates independently for children with chronic illnesses.

This leads him to believe that “though I wouldn’t wish cancer on my worst enemy, if I could take it back, I wouldn’t.”

Truly this is where Jacob finds his calling: inspiring others to “live a full life”, and to give back to the community that has given him so much.

When he’s not working, Jacob enjoys serving others within his community, playing with his Beagle Bertie, and training for his first IronMan triathlon. Whether writing in his journal, advocating at Dallas-area hospitals, or running and biking constantly— he does not fit into a box. Instead he tries to make himself all things to all people. Though living with eight chronic conditions resulting from chemotherapy, he does not let this slow him down—instead it only fans his flame.

To learn more of Jacob’s unusual life, see the Featured page. Or to learn more about his latest ambitions, see the Aspirations page.

About

A man with a beard and short hairstyle looking up, standing outdoors in front of trees with leaves and branches, wearing a light-colored patterned short-sleeve shirt.
A man with a beard and short hairstyle looking up, standing outdoors in front of trees with leaves and branches, wearing a light-colored patterned short-sleeve shirt.
“Talent is created upon birth.
Good looks don’t last forever.
Possessions can be stolen,
and money doesn’t make you clever.

But character? Knowledge?
Those cannot be taken away.
Nor can identity and meaning.
Yet those are seldom on display.

Finding it in others?
You cannot find it on a shelf.
So build it day by day - and eventually
you will find character in yourself.”
——
May my daily actions not accumulate accomplishments, but build upon my character.”
— J.A.P.

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A man in a brown suit, patterned tie, and cowboy hat standing in front of dark curtains.

Tell me about yourself:

“This friend of old,
though I wish he was nearer
is the boy that I see
when I look in the mirror”
— J.A.P.