We all know the finger bone is connected to the hand bone. And the hand bone is connected to the arm bone. As for three-year-old Jack Collins, his hand bone is connected to his new best friend, a plastic skeleton standing about two feet tall.
“It’s his little friend, and he loves him,” said Jack’s mom, Mary Collins.
Jack and his skeleton, he proudly named Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas, have been best buds ever since he spotted him in the Halloween decoration aisle at Walmart.
“They’ve been inseparable ever since,” said Mary.
When Jack watches his favorite show, Paw Patrol, Mr. Skellington sits right next to him to see the adventurous pups save the day. When they’re out running errands, the skeleton comes along for the ride. And when the family went on a beautiful one-mile hike in North Idaho, Jack Skellington made the trek, too.
“He wanted to take him on the hike. So, I thought for sure he’d ask me to carry him, and nope, he carried him the whole time,” said Mary.
Jack first started talking about Halloween in the heat of the summer. At that time, he excitedly declared he would like to dress up as a skeleton this year. So, Mary purchased his costume a few months ago. However, like most toddlers, Jack changed his mind and wanted to add a pirate touch to his costume and be a pirate skeleton instead. Mary found an eye patch, hat, and vest, and on Sunday, he will be a pirate skeleton with a trick or treat bag in one hand and Jack Skellington in the other.
“I think it’s adorable. It’s so cute,” said Mary.
Mary and her husband, Brandon, find joy in seeing their little boy happy. The couple tried for nine years to have a baby. Doctors couldn’t figure out why they had trouble conceiving, and then Jack came along. He’s a miracle baby with a big heart and imagination.
“Jack is our only child, so whatever he’s into, we’re all there. This is fun. When he was Spiderman one year, he wore the costume to church. We roll with it. We have fun,” said Mary.
In fact, Mary, and her husband are dressing up as skeletons too.
“We’re all in. It’s always been all or nothing,” said Mary
Jack also finds joy in seeing all the decorations around his neighborhood. He will often ask his mom to slow down as they pass a house with spooky spiders, pumpkins, and —of course — skeletons.
“Just want to say thank you to all the people who decorate. It’s a lot of work and money, but the kids get so much joy from it,” said Mary.