Focus on our Family:

JAKE AND CHANCE RAMSEY

Since last May our hearts have been touched daily by the untimely deaths of Jake and Chance Ramsey. However, despite the tragedy of those heartrending events, those who knew them realize that their lives were much more than the painful circumstances of their deaths. While they left us far too soon, their lives touched family, friends, and even strangers. Courage, humor, loyalty and compassion marked their days. Theirs were two lives well lived. Cowboys—sons—father—friends—Men who loved and were loved. This who they were.

Jake Alan Ramsey was born on May 16, 1963; the first child of Hal and Doris Ramsey. A quiet boy with an ornery smile, he was sometimes exasperating; sometimes endearing; but always a blessing. He was an adventuresome boy who loved to be outdoors.

When Jake was three, younger brother, Mike, was born. Although they had their typical sibling skirmishes, Jake was always Mike’s protector and defender. (Unless Mike was picking on Susan) At age eight when sister Susan was born, Jake had perfected the role of “big brother”. Doris and Hal remember Jake as their peacemaker. Susan remembers him as her champion. Any time Susan needed a helping hand or protection, Jake was always ready to step up. “I could always count on Jake to save me,” Susan remembers.

Like all little boys, Jake loved to work and play with his dad, Hal. Hal loved rodeos and had rodeoed as long as his body allowed it. Jake was soon following in Hal’s footsteps. With his little boy boots, spurs and chaps, Jake was immersed in the fun and challenges of the rodeo world at an early age. At five he was a “decent” roper and with each passing year his skills improved. Although Jake played football and baseball, rodeoing was his first love and the sport that he excelled in.

Jake was a fun-loving happy boy but while still very young, he also had to learn to face adversity. Hal and Doris sometimes called him their “hard luck kid”. Part of his hard luck may have been the result of his adventuresome spirit, but often Jake just seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. When he was five he got burned by hot grease when he was at a friend’s house. A pan of grease caught fire, and his friend threw the pan outdoors. Jake just happened to be standing in the “line of fire” and sustained serious burns. When Jake was in fourth grade, he fell out of a tree and broke his arm. At age 18, Jake was diagnosed with diabetes. A diagnosis of diabetes is difficult for anyone to accept, but it is especially difficult for a teen boy. Just when Jake was looking forward to fun and adventure, his body betrayed him. Wrestling with diabetes, was a far bigger challenge for Jake than wrestling any steer in any rodeo.

Despite the challenges of diabetes, Jake’s interest in rodeoing continued to grow. As a college student, Jake started traveling with the Rumford Rodeo Company of Abbyville. Besides steer wrestling, Jake also learned to be an exceptional pick-up man. A pick-up man needs to be the best rider in the rodeo and Jake had a natural ability to ride. His job was both dangerous and challenging. When a bucking horse ride ended, Jake would gallop alongside the rider, pull the cowboy off the horse and set him down on the ground safely. Sometimes a rider would be hung up and dragging alongside the horse. At these times, the rider’s life depended on Jake’s skill. Jake never let a rider down.

While on the rodeo circuit, Jake met Diana Leftwich, Diana was also a rodeo-lover. They were married in 1987. Their first son, Chance Tyler, was born on April 27, 1989. Chance was born 6 weeks early and spent the first two weeks of his life in neonatal intensive care. From birth Chance learned to face challenges and overcome them. He was a charmer who knew what he wanted and could figure out just how to get it. When Chance was two his brother, Colby Jacob was born. Like his dad, Chance took on the role of big brother naturally and was Colby’s pal and protector.

Jake, Diana, and their toddler boys could be seen at many rodeos in the early 90’s. Colby thought rodeos were “OK” but Chance fell in love with everything about them—just as his dad and granddad had. Family pictures show Chance riding at age 5. When Jake and Diana’s marriage ended, Chance and Colby were given the choice of staying in Kansas with Jake or moving to Ohio with Diana. It was not a choice for Chance. He loved his dad, his grandparents, his horses, and the rodeos too much to even think of leaving Kansas. Colby eventually moved to Ohio. Though separated by distance, the two brother’s hearts always remained close.

By the time Chance was in 6th grade, he was a regular on the junior rodeo circuit. When he started high school, high school rodeo filled his days and dreams. When Jake was well, he would accompany Chance. However due to Jake’s severe diabetes, it was often Hal who joined Chance at his rodeo competitions. Week-ends would find them rising early and pulling their horse trailer, complete with living quarters, out of the driveway before dawn. Grandfather and grandson were headed to another rodeo—another win—another buckle—another saddle—another memory.

One of the most memorable experiences was when Chance was invited to participate in the American Royal Rodeo at Kemper Arena in Kansas City. The American Royal Show is Kansas City’s longest running show and is attended by over 250,000 people each fall. Those who participate are by invitation only. It was an amazing experience for the whole family.

For a cowboy, a horse is just another member of the family. Chance’s horse was no different. In 2003, three new colts were born on the Ramsey farm. Chance was given his choice of the three colts and knew immediately which one would be his. He chose a beautiful quarter horse and named her Chick. The colt’s registered name was Chance’s Choice Chick. Chick and Chance were inseparable for the rest of their lives. Chick is buried on the Ramsey farm where she and Chance so often rode.

Chance did not let his rodeo success go to his head. He was a man who always reached out to others whether by a simple handshake, a helping hand, or words of encouragement to youngsters just starting in junior rodeo. Two memories that were posted on his web-site after his death tell the story of his caring spirit.

One says, “Chance was a wonderful person who was always ready to help. When our son was new to the junior rodeo life Chance was always there to help catch his horse, help him with his horse, or just be a friendly face with a wonderful smile.”

Another posting says, “I have a great memory of Chance when he was about 16 at the Abbyville Rodeo. My daughter was about 6 at the time and Chance was such a gentleman. He rode around on the rodeo grounds with her. He was so patient with her and kind. He really made her day.”

Chance is remembered as a gentleman and a friend. Recently the Kansas High School Rodeo Association voted to rename the Great Bend Shoot Out, an event they sponsor each spring. Next spring the Great Bend Shoot Out will become the Chance Ramsey Memorial Rodeo. It is the association’s way of honoring a young cowboy that they had grown to respect and admire.

While kids of all ages looked up to Chance, none were as devoted as his five-year-old cousin Ty Adkins. Chance was his hero. If Chance did it, Ty wanted to do it also. Ty’s proudest moments are when he is wearing his boots, chaps, and hat just like Grandpa, Uncle Jake, and Chance.

Chance was also a young man with a quiet, yet strong, faith. To symbolize this faith, Chance always wore a cross on his hat. If it was a felt hat, he wore a cross pin on it. If it was a straw hat, Chance himself was the artist who drew the cross on the back of his hat. It was his way of telling the world of the importance of his faith. He lived each day as a gift from God. Whether he was roping a calf or making pancakes in the kitchen, life was a great adventure.

During the rodeo years, Jake was often not well enough to watch Chance perform. Nevertheless, he was always with him in spirit. As a father he took great pride in Chance’s achievements.

Jake’s health continued to deteriorate. His kidneys began to fail and he was in need of both a kidney and pancreas transplant. Kidney transplants can come from living donors (preferably a family member) while pancreas transplants must come from a deceased donor. The wait for an appropriate match can be long and stressful. Six to eight percent of those waiting for a deceased donor transplant die before a suitable organ becomes available.

Family members stepped up to be tested for compatibility for a kidney transplant while Jake waited for his pancreas transplant. Susan was almost a perfect match. “I could always count on Jake to save me”, Susan remembered. Now it was her turn to save Jake. She was ready. On October 2, 2007, Susan donated a kidney to her older brother. Although the donor usually has a longer recovery than the recipient, Susan did beautifully and was soon back on her feet. Jake also recovered from the surgery beautifully but it took time and patience to figure out the complicated regimen of anti-rejection and diabetic drugs that he must take daily. Once the doctors were able to stabilize his drugs, he also, did very well.

Susan and Jake had always been close, but after the transplant, they were connected by a bond that only those who have saved or been saved through the miracle of transplant can understand. They talked every day and for the first time in his life, Jake could express what his heart had always felt. It became easy for him to say, “I love you.” Determined to take meticulous care of the gift that Susan had given him, he was scrupulous in attending to every detail of his health. He watched his diet and got plenty of sleep. Even social drinking became a thing of the past. He tested his blood sugar 7 times a day and quickly attended to any dips or rises in the numbers. He was the doctor’s “poster child.” Eighteen months after his kidney transplant, a pancreas became available and Jake underwent another transplant. This transplant would mean the end of insulin injections and for the first time since age eighteen, Jake would be able to enjoy a normal diet. Jake’s initial recovery went extremely well.

Then on May 9, tragedy struck. Chance and his horse drowned in a pond in Western Reno County. Jake’s body that was worn from years of illness, the anti-rejection drugs which had weakened his immune system, and the stress of the loss of his best friend and son were too much for Jake. He died two weeks later from an overwhelming infection.

It is quiet now on the Ramsey farm. The wind whispers over the grave of Chance’s Choice Chick. But, if you pause, you can almost hear it. The rev of a pick-up motor, the jingle of spurs, and the voice of a young man calling to his horse still linger in the air. If you pause, you can almost see it. Once more Chance rides by, dips his hat, and says a last goodbye to all he loves.