Jackson Jean Baptiste came to Peoria in June of 2001 and stayed in the home of Mike and Susan Zobrist.  When Jackson arrived he was very thin and you could "see his heart beating through his shirt".  Jackson was determined to learn to ride a bicycle while he was here.  His first surgery was in July to repair his mitral valve.  In October the mitral valve was replaced in a second surgery because the repair was not successful and the valve was leaking.  Soon Jackson was riding his bike!  He safely returned to Haiti with a new valve and a new bike (compliments of the Peoria Kiwanis Club) in December just in time for Christmas.