The Coolidge family front yard in Frisco is where you’ll often find 12-year-old Chase.
“That’s a big swing for that club,” his mom, Amy, said to Chase as he hit an endless amount of foam golf balls with his clubs—some without even looking.
“Man you almost hit the stop sign!” Amy said to Chase as one ball hopped past their neighbor’s yard.
Amy said their neighbors are supportive and everyone looks out for Chase.
“They pick the balls up and they throw them back in our yard,” Amy said, but her family also tries to be respectful of time.
“If he wakes up early, we try not to come out before seven, because people are sleeping,” Amy said with a smile.
Chase’s dad, Andy, said, “We’re out here all the time.”
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They said since the moment Chase first tried golf through Special Olympics last year, he’s swung his clubs every single day no matter what the weather.
“And what’s been really nice is you have a child with special needs—sometimes you wonder, you know, if you’ll ever be able to do a sport or some kind of activity with them that you both like,” Andy said. “And I love golf, and the fact that we can go do something like that together is really cool,” Andy said.
Chase has a genetic condition called Trichothiodystrophy.
“We only know of maybe 100-ish people in the world—and we have three. All three of our children have it,” Amy said.
For Chase, it affects his immune system, mental processing, bones and skin and they don’t know if it will get worse.
His parents say what makes Chase a courageous kid, is that everything he does, “he does it 100 percent, he’s not scared of anything,” Amy said.
Andy said Chase’s zest for life is infectious. Amy said Chase doesn’t know that people judge or form opinions, so, “when you’re with him, you have to be as free as him—because you just want to be,” Amy said.
He’s a little boy bringing joy to his family, his neighborhood, and countless others.
“Wave to the mailman!” Andy said, followed by Chase waving.
In between never-ending and enthusiastic rounds of golf in the Coolidge front yard.
