He goes to preschool. He plays with his older sister Kali and younger brother Gabe. He loves dogs. He gets a lot of time with his mother Julie and father Brian.

Jack does those things despite an illness robbing him of communication and movement and that may eventually take his life.

“We just say he’s our gift,” said Jack’s mom, Julie Murray.

The community is treating him that way as well. Neighbors and community businesses are organizing Jack’s Day, a fundraiser for Jack’s medical needs. The event is set for Saturday, April 19, noon to 6 p.m. next to Wal-Mart on the N.C. 55 Bypass.

Jack was born with a disease known as primary immune deficiency. Specifically, his body does not produce cells that generate antibodies, so he is susceptible to infection, his mother said.

According to the online journal Julie keeps, Jack’s underlying condition was diagnosed in October 2006 after a bout of unexplained high fevers. The initial plan had been for Jack to have a bone-marrow transplant to jump start his immune system.

Doctors suspected he had a central-nervous-system infection but could not find any virus in Jack’s spinal fluid.

However, the results of a biopsy last fall showed that he had a brain infection, Julie said.

That infection, she wrote, ruled out the bone-marrow transplant because he would not survive the necessary chemotherapy.

The cause of the infection is enterovirus, a bug that nearly every person deals with easily.

“In the average person it just causes a little stomach upset,” Julie said.

Jack’s condition is part of life for the Murrays.

“You just do things a little bit differently but you do the same things,” Julie said. “We definitely want him to live his life and do things we did before.”

Jack goes to Duke University Medical Center every week for medicine meant to boost his immune system.

Though Julie said Jack understands those sorts of routines, “He can’t tell us anymore.”

The loss of movement and speech frustrated Jack, Julie said.

“He kind of went through stages,” Julie said. “He knew his body could do it and when he lost the ability … he just cried and cried and cried. I think a lot of it was the frustration that he knew he used to be able to do these things.”

When Jack cries now it is no longer because of frustration but because of pain, Julie said.

“I don’t think he understands any more that he used to be able to do this stuff,” she said.

Those losses take their toll, in small and large ways, on the family.

For Gabe, 23 months, “This is normal,” Julie said, though her younger son is aware “Jack gets a lot of attention.”

Kali remembers before Jack got sick, Julie said.

“I think it’s hardest on our oldest because she’s 8 and she knows what’s going on,” Julie said.

When Jack is going to spend time in the hospital or when something else significant is going to happen, Julie said she and Brian like to give her about a week’s notice.

Kali also pays attention to Jack’s situation. When Kali was treated recently for strep, she shared concerns with her mother.

“‘Is there medicine to fix it? Will I have to take it forever?’” Julie said her daughter asked.

Among the effects on the parents are ones that only time can show.

“You’re still mourning those things he used to be able to do that he can’t do any more,” Julie said.

But they have come up with a partial antidote. “We used to say, ‘What if,’” Julie said. “We definitely don’t do that any more.”

There is also consolation from the support their Holly Springs neighbors provide.

“It’s basically just to do something,” said Susan Hernandez, a neighbor in the Oakhall neighborhood and one of the organizers of Jack’s Day.

Hernandez said she has gotten to know Julie better over the last year.

“We heard the story and it’s made you feel sad to your stomach,” Hernandez said.

The effort started with four neighbors but has grown to include several local organizations and businesses, Hernandez said.

Organizations involved include Civitan and Band of Brothers of Fuquay-Varina.

“Even if they were millionaires we’d still want to help,” Hernandez said.

Julie feels the wealth is shared.

“It has made the biggest difference,” Julie said. “It just feels good to be in circles of people.”

And that helps the Murrays maintain perspective, regardless of the difficulties.

“He’s alive, he’s here,” Julie said. “We’ve got to keep living.”