Community, Clemson fans rally around Braintree boy & family

BRAINTREE, Mass. — A 12-year-old Braintree boy dreamed, but never thought he’d actually be seeing his favorite team in the College Football Playoff National Championship game.

Jake Parker has the team books and jerseys to prove he is a diehard Clemson fan.

“They're fun to watch and their players are smart,” he said.

Jake hasn’t had the easiest childhood; he has muscular dystrophy, a degenerative condition that impacts his muscles. He used to be able to walk but now uses a powered wheelchair.

“It helped him get around, made it easier for him, didn't tire him out so much.  He now uses it full time… we call it his other set of legs,” said Michelle Parker, Jake’s mother.

When he learned that Clemson was going to be in the title game, Jake and his family dreamed of going.

“We really wanted to try to take Jake to the game.  I mean, we try to grant most of his wishes of things that he wants to do,” said Giles Parker, Jake’s father.

They mentioned it to friends, and someone suggested a GoFundMe. In a week, the GoFundMe raised enough money for the entire family to go. Donations rolled in from friends, family, strangers and other diehard Clemson fans.

On Friday, the family took off from Boston Logan, headed to Tampa to see Clemson take on Alabama, a young boy’s dream actually coming true.

Cox Media Group