'Fortnite' offers new opportunities for teen with rare condition

For Jack Posnack, video games like "Fortnite" are a window to the world. He was born with a rare genetic condition called familial dysautonomia.

News 12 Staff

Mar 23, 2019, 12:43 AM

Updated 2,033 days ago

Share:

'Fortnite' offers new opportunities for teen with rare condition
Many parents try to limit how much time their kids spend playing video games, but one New City mom actually encourages it.
For Jack Posnack, video games like "Fortnite" are a window to the world. He was born with a rare genetic condition called familial dysautonomia.
“[It] limits his ability to manage his autonomic system... which is everything you don’t think about. For example, he doesn't produce tears, he can’t regulate his blood pressure, his temperature,” says mom Robin Posnack.
His condition means the 13-year-old is stuck indoors for most of the year. Jack says he makes a lot of friends through playing Fortnite.
"But what’s kind of really cool is that 'Fortnite' and virtual gaming gives him the ability to do everything that he can't do in the real world,” says Robin Posnack.
The game is leveling the playing field, and Jack’s not only making friends through this virtual world- he's also creating a community he calls “The Jack Pack.” So anyone feeling lonely can find a friend.
"So what 'Fortnite' has really done is that it really taught Jack that he has a talent, that he is normal, that he can make some more friends,” says Robin. "We can’t make Jack’s life longer but we can make it better and happier."