Tori Roloff and Zach Roloff held their son Jackson as he took his first steps since leg surgery in an emotional clip from Tuesday’s episode of Little People, Big World. Jackson, 5, underwent leg surgery in November to correct the bowing in his legs. The new episode shows how Zach and Tori helped Jackson get used to his new normal the day after the surgery.
“It’s the day after Jackson’s surgery and he’s gotta start taking steps with his walker,” Zach said in the clip, published by PEOPLE. “He’s been through a lot the last day. But we’ve gotta get him up, we’ve got to get him taking a few steps to get going again.” Tori is then shown helping Jackson stand up behind his walker, but their son only wants to go back to laying on the couch.
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“We were optimistic about his maybe walking the next day but he wasn’t,” Zach told the cameras. “I think there are a couple [of] reasons why he doesn’t want to walk. Jackson’s still recovering, he’s still tired, very emotional day yesterday, a very emotional night. It could be pain, it could just be discomfort.”
Tori let Jackson go back on the couch, but she reminded him that the sooner he starts walking, the sooner his legs will regain their strength. “The faster that we start practicing walking, the stronger our legs get and the faster we get to do things,” Tori told Jackson. “I’m glad that you at least got up, we’ll try again later.”
Jackson underwent leg surgery on Nov. 30. Tori shared a photo of him sleeping in a hospital bed. “Today has been one of the hardest days I’ve ever had. Watching your child in pain is never something a parent wants to go through. However, we are trusting his doctors and our Lord that this was the best decision for him,” Tori wrote. “Love you baby J! Let’s go home and make popcorn!”
Tori and Zach are also parents to daughter Lilah Ray, 2, and son Josiah Luke, who was born in April. Last month, Zach told Us Weekly Josiah also has achondroplasia, the same form of dwarfism that Zach, Lilah, and Jackson have. However, Tori and Zach note that they do not let achondroplasia define their children. “He’s Josiah. He has achondroplasia, but he’s not, like, Josiah the achondroplasia,” Zach told the magazine in May.
The new season of LPBW has also shown Zach’s training for a powerlifting competition. Earlier this month, he completed several challenges in the Hardcore Barbell Weightlifting Competition. He even beat a national record by attempting to squat 385 lbs. LPBW airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on TLC, with past episodes available to stream on Discovery+.
