When Jack Robinson III was a student at the University of Maryland, he was always active.
The Newark, New Jersey, native had always had a passion for music, which led him to become involved with the WMUC radio station beginning in his freshman year in 1985. He produced and hosted two shows as he pursued a degree in communication, and he was always interested in helping others through community service.
Now 48, Robinson needs help himself. After a 2003 car accident left Robinson paralyzed from the neck down, he has been confined to his house and his caretakers assist him with everyday actions.
He hopes to become active again through a new fundraising campaign, Wheels for Jack, which would provide him with a wheelchair-accessible van that would allow him to travel without an ambulance or other services.
“He could do some great things if he had additional help,” said Dr. Marc Adelman, Jack’s primary physician. “Mobilizing him would truly be life-changing.”
The fundraising campaign, which began Sept. 2, aims to raise $120,000. So far, it has collected $3,925.
Robinson grew up in Newark, where he quickly earned a reputation as a music enthusiast, said his mother and primary caregiver, Irene Robinson. He enjoyed playing and listening to all types of music, but particularly relished sharing new music with others, she said.
READ MORE: What I learned as a DJ for WMUC
His love of music eventually developed into a love of radio, his mother said. Robinson’s two WMUC shows, The Dynamic Duo and later The Jack Juice Show, both played urban and hip-hop music.
“It was a great way to be a part of the community at the University of Maryland,” Robinson said. “I was able to provide entertainment, and also able to help promote some of the organizations on campus.”
He left this university in 1991 before graduating, but he plans to complete his communication degree through online classes at this university.
“I’m looking forward to finishing my degree and officially becoming a Terp [alumnus],” Robinson said.
After his time at this university, Robinson continued to pursue his interests in music and helping others, specifically youth. In 2001, Jack established The Urban Air Journal Outreach, a nonprofit organization that provides cultural and educational programs for youth in the greater Newark area, his mother said.
“He wanted, through music, to help keep kids out of trouble,” said Bari Adelman, the wife of Robinson’s doctor and close family friend, who was instrumental in starting the fundraising campaign.
In March 2003, while Robinson was organizing a speaking tour about the cultural component of hip-hop at various colleges, a car accident left him unable to move his arms and legs. He requires full-time breathing assistance and spent nearly 10 years in a nursing home and rehab facilities, Robinson said.
Back at his home with this mother in Newark, he has maintained his passion for community service, his mother said, but he often feels unproductive since he is unable to give back to the community as much as he’d like to.
“Jack was very outward socially, and loved interacting with people,” Robinson said. “It was like all of that was taken away from him.”
Mobility is especially difficult for Robinson, making it hard for him to attend events outside of his home, his mother said. This was the main motivation behind the Wheels for Jack fundraiser.
Spearheaded by the efforts of Robinson’s mother and Bari Adelman, Wheels for Jack hopes to provide a wheelchair-accessible van for the former university student.
READ MORE: UMD commission examines handicap accessibility issues on campus
In addition to the specialized van, they hope to raise enough to provide Jack physical therapy treatments, upgraded communication equipment, and additional medication and supplies not covered by insurance, his mother said.
Although he is no longer at Maryland, Robinson remains connected to campus and engrossed with student life, said Nikki Adelman, daughter of the Adelmans and a 2011 university alumna. He particularly loves seeing pictures of how the campus looks now, she said, and comparing them to when he was there.
“Jack is such a Maryland fan and has so many strong and fond memories of being there,” [Nikki] Adelman said.
Although she lives in New York City, Adelman works diligently to share Robinson’s story with students and alumni of this university, encouraging everyone to spread the word about the fundraiser.
However, no matter his circumstances, Jack will continue to work toward his aspirations.
“He is determined to live the life that he wants to live,” Bari Adelman said. “A life of giving back, especially through music.”