Caleb plays the trumpet while brother Jordan, 2, watches. (Photo by Phyllis McCabe)
As a baby, Caleb was always very physical and active and since he couldn’t walk, he scooted everywhere on his bottom. Caleb is more prone to injuries due to lacking one arm and having restricted use of his other which is severely shortened, and thereby cannot catch himself when he falls. He is also more prone to injuries, his parents pointed out, because he is so active and takes more risks. “I wanted to bubble-wrap him,” said his father Tim, who described three broken collar-bone injuries Caleb suffered, including a topple off the couch. He also broke his arm in a playground accident, and has taken more than one unfortunate header down the stairs. One gruesome incident, Tim described, was when Caleb’s little fingers got smashed in a closing cooler door. But when Caleb falls, he gets right back up, his parents said. Caleb proudly lifted his pant leg to show off years of scars.
Despite his physical challenges, Caleb is extremely healthy, and quipped how if it wasn’t for playing sick every now and then to avoid school, he would be there every day. During periods of convalescing from injuries, he relies on his sister and even his 2-year-old brother for help with feeding and dressing. Caleb can also tie his own shoes by using his mouth.
Caleb is a sports enthusiast. He proclaims himself a Giants fan, but his mother was quick to point out that he had a Jets brace in recent years. Caleb has more than a dozen trophies and medals from sports in his bedroom on a shelf. He battles his cousins in heated Xbox games by manipulating the controller with his feet. Slater and Tim laughed about how his baby brother Jordan periodically uses his feet on toys to pretend to be Caleb. The only time Caleb says he cannot do something is when faced with a chore, like folding laundry, jokes mom. “Caleb really does work hard,” said Tim. “He has come to work with me and taken over a shoveling job, hauling. This kid has a good work ethic. He doesn’t mind getting dirty either. He works hard. He works his butt off.” Slater is a nursing assistant in two nursing homes and Tim works landscaping and odd jobs part-time while taking care of the three kids.
Caleb does not love school, but he tolerates it. When he grows up, he says, he wouldn’t mind being a gym teacher or coach. But for right now, he is busy trying to convince his parents to let him abstain from laundry chores and play football. He might be able to do anything, but good luck with that one, Caleb.
