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Jacob Janes
Jacob Janes
Jacob Janes in Afganistan.
EVANSVILLE — Stacey Schumacher was trying desperately to get a message to her son in Afghanistan: His grandfather, who helped raise him, was dying in Janesville.
So when she got a call from a Marine sergeant Friday, she figured the message had gotten through.
She was unprepared for what she heard.
“He goes, ‘Ma’am, no, your son was involved in an explosion,’” Stacey said.
That’s how Stacey and her family learned her son, Cpl. Jacob “Jake” Janes, Evansville, had been seriously injured in Afghanistan.
Janes, 23, had both his legs amputated below the knees after stepping on an improvised explosive device, Stacey said.
That wasn’t the end of the bad news: That night, Stacey’s father, Leo “Dutch” Schumacher, died.
“If we weren’t a close family, I don’t know how the heck we’d ever handle this,” said Brian Schumacher, Stacey’s brother and Janes’ uncle.
Janes was close to his grandfather, family members said.
Though Stacey lives in Janesville and Janes’ father, Rod Janes, lives in Delavan, he stayed with his grandparents when he came home on leave.
In fact, Janes said his worst fear was that his grandfather would die while he was overseas, Brian said.
Janes’ grandfather pressed on him the importance of service growing up. When terrorists attacked the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, Janes immediately decided to enlist, Stacey said.
“He’s standing in the kitchen, he’s a freshman (and) he said, ‘Mom, I’m signing up,’” she recalled. “He said ‘Yes mom, I’m going to be a Marine. I need to do my part.’ ”
Janes volunteered to serve first in Iraq and a year later in Afghanistan. He was named the Marine of the Quarter in Alpha Company of the Second Combat Engineer Battalion in early 2008.
The entire family was proud of him and carefully followed his career, Stacey said.
“We call it ‘the Jake Train,’” she said. “Everybody’s on the Jake Train.”
He left for Afghanistan Nov. 5, 2008, and had two weeks to go when he stepped on the IED, Stacey said.
Now, the family is preparing to comfort each other and take care of Janes during this double blow. Friends and family plan to set up a fund for Janes through Blackhawk Community Credit Union, Brian said.
Janes talked to Brian and Stacey from Germany on Friday. His sounded like his usual, cheerful self, they said.
“He said ‘OK, I’m not going to lie, Mom. I’ve been better. But I’m OK,’” Stacey said.
He could leave Germany for the United States as soon as today, Stacey said. She didn’t know Saturday where they’d take him, but she knew she’d be by his side.
“He knows his mom will beg, borrow, or steal,” she said. “His mom’s going to be there.”
Relatives know it will be a hard road for Janes when he returns, but they believe he’ll eventually resume his old life.
“Jake was a big outdoorsman, and I’m sure that it’s not going to be long before he’s out there again,” Brian said.
HOW TO HELP
Cpl. Jacob Janes’ family encourages the community to send Janes messages of support at usmc4049@yahoo.com. The family also plans to set up a fund to take care of Janes’ needs at Blackhawk Community Credit Union.