Tupelo youth living with cerebral palsy strives to make a difference

Family and friends came together to help him spread a message of hope and inspiration - one step at a time.

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Almost 250 people assembled at Tupelo’s Fair Park Saturday for the inaugural Just Jesus Inc 5K Run/Walk. The event was the vision of 11-year-old Caleb Rodgers, who wanted to raise money to purchase Bibles and Bible studies for people and organizations that need them.

His father Rodney Rodgers says this event is in conjunction with their non-profit ministry Just Jesus Inc.

“We go into jails, into rehabs, Beds for Kids we’re also providing them with books and Bibles for those kids, and just anywhere a lot of ministries use us,” Rodney Rodgers said. “I mean we send them across into other countries.”

Caleb’s mother Jennie Rodgers says her son has been a real inspiration. Caleb has cerebral palsy, but he doesn’t let the condition define him.

“Caleb communicates using a card,” Jennie Rodgers said. “He spells out everything. And so from the time he could first communicate it was all about Heaven, Jesus, and God. That is Caleb. And he said his mission, his reason for even being on this earth is to encourage others and to help his parents be good soldiers and faint not.”

Caleb was able to participate in this 5K thanks to his sister Abby Tomlin who pushed his wheelchair the entire distance.

“I’ve pushed him before in a 10K and that was fun so I knew I could do this,” Tomlin said. “He always pushes me. I can always tell he’s praying for me the whole time. He gets so excited out there when it’s just me and him. And so he always gives me motivation to keep going and be his legs and be his feet.”

David Staser of Pontotoc was the overall winner of the 5K. He also felt honored to help young Caleb with a good cause.

“To run for people like that that are not able, it just pushes you to do it for those kind of people because they’re just so unfortunate,” Staser said.

Caleb writes “Life is sure to run over you sometimes. The Soldier that endures is the one that never gives up.”

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