When he first laid eyes on the ceiling fan section at his local Lowe’s in Missouri, Jaxon went crazy with delight.
His mother, Shauna Rippee, had known about his obsession with fans since he was a baby. So when she first took her son, who has autism, to Lowe’s, suddenly it all clicked.
“This is my son’s happy place.”
You see, when it comes to the fans of Lowe’s, Jaxon is unquestionably the biggest.
With that in mind, Shauna decided to arrange a photoshoot at the store to celebrate her son’s fourth birthday. She reached out to the corporate office in the hopes of obtaining a little red vest for her son.
Jaxon got his vest and a whole lot more.
Lowe’s sent him a care package complete with all kinds of Lowe’s stuff – a portable fan included, of course. Plus, he was named an honorary associate.
Jaxon was able to enjoy a day at his favorite place with the camera capturing it all.
“It was one of the best days that we’ve all had in a really long time,” Shauna said.
There are often hard days for Jaxon and his family, especially this year. For a child so reliant on routine when it comes to school and therapy, the disruption caused by COVID-19 has created more challenges.
“His routine was completely off. It was just bad,” Shauna explained. “He didn’t understand what was going on.”
Still, Shauna knew she had Lowe’s as a refuge. When Jaxon was on the verge of a meltdown, they would almost always hop in the car and drive to the store. The family is down to one vehicle after Shauna lost her job as a result of pandemic cutbacks, so sometimes it's not an option.
But when they're able to make the trip, the store environment has an obvious positive effect on Jaxon, to his mom's continued amazement.
"For a non-verbal kid on the spectrum, he comes to Lowe’s and his speech is impeccable," she said.
They always stop by the fans, but Jaxon also has a passion for washers, dryers and other appliances. As Shauna explains, “imagine another 4-year-old walking into Disney World. That's what it's like for Jax walking into Lowe's."
“Lowe’s has been our saving grace. I don’t know how other parents were able to cope, but for us, that was our saving grace,” she explained.
Shauna laughed when she spoke about needing to take a detour to avoid Lowe’s when Jaxon is in the car, because if he sees the logo, he demands they visit. Jaxon knows he'll get to go at least once a week thanks to a tradition that's been established with his grandparents, who take him every Sunday.
Through all of it, the family has built a connection to the associates they so often interact with.
That’s what made the photoshoot so special for everyone involved at the Springfield store.
"My team was really inspired by his story and his connection to Lowe's," store manager Marty Davis told the Springfield News-Leader. "We tried to make it a special day for him. There's so much going on in this world right now. He made our Saturday at Lowe's.
"He’s a special little guy."
After that story was published by the local paper, Shauna checked out the online version and scrolled to the comments. She was reading the supportive messages from strangers and suddenly found herself overcome with emotion.
The fact that her son’s story brought so much joy – that was an incredible feeling.
“I was in happy tears all morning,” she said.
Imagine another 4-year-old walking into Disney World. That is what it’s like for Jax walking into Lowe’s.
Shauna intends to use the gifts from Lowe’s to kickstart a special DIY project – a Lowe’s themed bedroom for Jaxon.
And that pint-sized red vest he was sporting during the photoshoot? Yeah, that’s not coming off any time soon.
“He wants to wear it every day,” Shauna said with a laugh.