Renfrew man remained positive during decades of physical challenges
CONNOQUENESSING TWP — Jordan Hammer loved to read, so when he could no longer turn the pages of a book, he switched to e-books. When he could no longer hold the tablet and started losing his vision, he switched to audiobooks.
“He would take the best of whatever he could do,” said Jordan’s father, Doug Hammer.
“He was always able to enjoy what he liked to do,” added his mother, Ginny.
Jordan Hammer died Thursday at age 32 due to complications caused by a genetic, progressive, neurodegenerative movement disorder known as Friedreich’s ataxia, which he was diagnosed with at 9 years old.
Friedreich’s ataxia is a rare, inherited degenerative disease. It damages the spinal cord, peripheral nerves and the cerebellum portion of the brain. It tends to develop in children and teens and gradually worsens over time, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Ginny said she and her husband had heard of only one other case prior to their son’s diagnosis, but it was someone who did not have a blood relationship to Jordan. Ginny said that before Jordan was diagnosed with the disease, he didn’t display many symptoms that were out of the ordinary.
“He rode a bike, he played ball, he played with the neighborhood kids all the time,” Ginny said. “He could even swim after he was unable to walk, so it just progressed.”
Despite Jordan being confined to a wheelchair in his youth, his mind was unaffected, and he learned along with everyone else around him. Ginny said his humor and wit earned him many friends over the years, some of which she still considers family.
“The whole time his brain, his mind was fine; (so was) his sense of humor, his attitude,” Doug said. “He ran a fantasy football league.”
Jordan’s brother, Mitchell, who is two years younger, grew to be somewhat of a caretaker to his brother, but also a close friend.
“He was a great man of faith and family and football,” Mitchell said. “He was my brother, my best friend, I couldn't be more happy to help him over all the years.”
Dustin Braden said he had been friends with Jordan since the fourth grade. Over the ensuing 22 years and numerous physical changes, Jordan’s personality never changed, according to Braden.
“With everything that was thrown at him, it was always met with a smile,” Braden said. “He was probably the only person in my life I have never had an argument with.”
In 2006, the Hammers traveled to Hawaii thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation to see Steelers players in the Pro Bowl. Mitchell said family trip holds a lot of good memories of Jordan, as well as many weekends of the two watching Pittsburgh sports together with friends.
“We got to do a bunch of stuff in Hawaii. Those memories are great,” Mitchell said. “Even watching it at home, giving high-fives and all the people there and friends, the Steelers, Pens went through a lot of championship runs in his recent years.”
Over the years, Jordan gradually lost more of his motor functions. However, he was able to finish high school, and earned an associate’s degree from Butler County Community College.
“Every year or every other year, there was another adjustment of things that continued to progress for the worse,” Doug said. “He still had such a good sense of humor. His purpose, he believed, was his attitude; regardless of what he was going through to have a positive attitude.”
Ginny said Jordan continued to have a good attitude even as he lost more of his ability to move. She said his attitude inspired her throughout his life, and many other people said the same at his funeral service Saturday.
“I would have just given up, but he was always very persistent,” Ginny said. “He was going to accomplish whatever he wanted to accomplish, even if it was just one letter at a time.”
The past five years were “pretty difficult” for the Hammers, as Jordan’s physical condition deteriorated until he ended up in hospice care. He was able to listen to podcasts and audiobooks in the last year of his life, and Ginny said the game Wordle was a “Godsend.”
Ginny also said Jordan’s faith persisted from his hospice bed.
“His saying was, ‘God’s got this,’” Ginny said.
Doug, Ginny and Mitchell said they will carry on traditions inspired by Jordan, including reciting nighttime devotions and trivia — both of which Jordan didn’t sleep without.
Mitchell and Doug would participate in their annual fantasy football draft, which this season would have been held Labor Day. It was one of Jordan’s favorite traditions. Mitchell said he will always hold onto Jordan’s positive attitude.
“I'm definitely going to remember the way he put a smile on no matter what,” Mitchell said. “He was just so strong in his faith and his attitude was better than anybody else's in that situation.”
