Jaxson Edward Breazeale

Jaxson Edward Breazeale, age 18, of Rogue River, died Monday, February 1, 2016 at his home.

A celebration of life will be at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, February 7, 2016 at Grace Baptist Church, 4233 East Evans Creek Road, Rogue River with Pastor Zach Badley officiating.

A committal service will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, February 8, 2016 at Deer Creek Cemetery in Selma.

Jaxson Edward Breazeale was born on November 22, 1997 at what is now Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford Oregon to Ron and Patty Breazeale, who were living in Selma, Oregon. Also at home was an older brother named Jonathon.
When he was 5 years old, the family moved to Rogue River where he started kindergarten at the Rogue River Elementary School. Jaxson was always a big kid with an even bigger heart, not liking to see anyone suffer.
Jaxson was always ready to lend a helping hand, and was active in church, youth groups, church mission’s teams, and Christian Youth in Action. As a teenager, he would work with and teach at many 5 day clubs and vacation bible schools every summer.
Jaxson’s life goal was to devote himself to God’s work. He believed in evangelism on all levels and spreading God’s word.
In May 2015, in his junior year of high school, Jaxson was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a juvenile bone cancer, having spread to several areas of his body, and paralyzing his legs, left him having to use a wheelchair.
Through all the chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Jaxson never faltered or backed down from anything, always saying “God isn’t done with me yet”.
Around August 2015, Jaxson finally said that he wanted as his Make-a- Wish, to meet Franklin Graham. His oncologist, Dr. Susan Lindemulder couldn’t figure who Franklin Graham was, as the only one she could find was the evangelist, and what 17 year old would want to meet a minister for a Make-a Wish? When she got to know Jaxson better, she could see that it made total sense. She said that was the first time that a teenager wanted to meet a minister over any sports person. We who knew Jaxson know that this makes perfect sense.
Jaxson was one of a kind. That is said of many people, but Jaxson is the literal translation of that.
On January 14th, 2016, Jaxson went into the hospital with a fever and rib pain. Scans showed the cancer had spread and chemotherapy was not working too well. To get the best quality for the remainder of his life, Jaxson put himself on hospice, getting home on Sunday the 24th of January, and getting a kitten on Tuesday. He had wanted a kitten because his cat died just before he was diagnosed with cancer. The kitten, he named Shadow, spent almost the entire time at Jaxson’s side.
On Wednesday the 27th, Ron received a phone call from Franklin Graham, saying he would be at the house on Friday to visit with Jaxson. We prayed that Jaxson would have an alert and enjoyable day. God answered prayer, and with about 15 people influential in Jaxson’s life joining him, he enjoyed Franklin’s visit. Jaxson’s smile tells the whole story.
Jaxson passed three days later at home, silently slipping from holding his mother’s hand on earth into the loving arms of our Savior.
Jaxson was preceded in death by an older brother in 1985, and leaving behind parents Ron and Patty, a brother Jonathon, in Rogue River, a grandmother Lois Breazeale of Grants Pass, and many other relatives and friends.
Jaxson life and story has touched lives in this community and around the world. He will be greatly missed here, but is cancer free and running around in heaven.

Jaxson’s Last Wish: A Visit From Franklin Graham

by Brad Smith
Rogue River Press

A Rogue River teen’s battle with bone cancer ended Monday morning but, not before his last wish was granted a few days earlier.
Jaxson Breazeale, diagnosed with cancer since May of last year, passed away 8:40 a.m., Monday. According to family friend, Nan Harlow, and his father, Ron, Jaxson had always been interested in entering the ministry. In fact, it had been Jaxson’s last wish to meet a hero of his, famed evangelist Billy Graham. The family eventually came into contact with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Phoenix, Arizona-based organization that works with children who have life-threatening medical conditions and help them to experience a final wish.
“Jaxson has watched (Graham’s) programs online,” Ron said. “I can remember watching those programs on TV when I was growing up and Jaxson and I talked about them. He made a huge impact on my son’s life. Meeting with him was something that Jaxson really wanted.”
However, a number of issues cropped up. Due to Jaxson’s health, flying out for the meeting would be problematic.
“It would have been very physically demanding for Jaxson,” Ron said. “It would have been very hard him and draining too. So, that was an issue.”
There was the issue of Billy Graham’s own health. At age 97, it would have been very hard for him to travel. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 1992 and since 2005, the number of public appearances have lessened.
However, William Franklin Graham III, who has followed his father and continued his work, discussed the prospect of meeting with Jaxson.
“I think that it was in November that we started talking about this,” Ron said. “Mr. Graham was very busy and it was all a matter of working around his schedule.”
Since his diagnosis, Jaxson had undergone a series of chemotherapy treatments, which called for the family traveling to Portland. Harlow said that the chemo wasn’t working and the doctors switched to a new method of chemotherapy. But, that failed to help him as well.
Since then, Jaxson has been on painkillers and oxygen. Ron has not only been busy watching over his son, but his wife, Patty – who has ALS.
“It’s been a lot of work,” he said. “It challenges us every day, physically and emotionally, but we manage.”
See the rest of this article in this weeks’ edition of the Rogue River Press or get more information at www.rogueriverpress.com.
A fund has been set up to help pay for Jaxson’s medical expenses. Go to this link to get more information: https://www.gofundme.com/xzhacuwk