Mt. San Antonio College baseball player Jackson Giacone is being honored with the CalHOPE Courage Award for his extraordinary resilience in the face of life-altering adversity.
A standout athlete from Eureka High School, Jackson realized his lifelong dream in 2022 when he earned a scholarship to Cal State Fullerton, one of the nation’s premier college baseball programs. Just days into his freshman season, he looked ready to make an impact, hitting a triple and a home run in an intrasquad series, before his world suddenly changed.
Jackson suffered a freak accident in the batting cages that crushed his C5 vertebrae and fractured his C4-C6, leaving him temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. Although the paralysis was temporary, nobody knew how much it would impact his baseball career going forward.
He underwent two major surgeries to repair and stabilize his spine, spending nearly two weeks in the U.C. Irvine trauma center, fighting through complications like blood clots and unstable blood pressure. The physical challenge was immense, but the mental toll of having his dream ripped away so suddenly was even greater.
Through it all, Jackson refused to give up. He leaned on his family, teammates, and coaches, learning the importance of asking for and accepting help. Just 15 days after his accident, he walked back onto the field to stand with his team. Four months later, he was throwing again; by the next summer, he was back playing competitive baseball.
After transferring last year to Mt. San Antonio College for a fresh start, Jackson played in 48 of their 51 games at outfield and third base, posting a .237 batting average with 2 home runs, 32 runs batted in, 28 runs scored, and 9 stolen bases. He capped off his remarkable comeback with a 3-5 performance at the plate in the championship game and helped lead the Mounties to their first state championship in 60 years.
“There were days when it was hard to not be on the field. The physical pain was one thing, but mentally, it was hard to accept that my dream might be over,” said Jackson. “What got me through was learning to ask for help and accepting it from my doctors, physical therapists, family, coaches, and teammates. They reminded me to believe in myself. My goal of playing baseball again gave me purpose, and step by step, it pushed me past every setback.”