Big dreams and determination drive Hilton Head athlete Jacob Murasko

Life is busy for 20-year-old Hilton Head Island resident Jacob Murasko. He works four days a week at The Crazy Crab Restaurant at Jarvis Creek, plays golf competitively, participates in several Special Olympics sports, enjoys spending time with family and friends, and hopes to attend Clemson University.

Jacob’s passion for golf recently took him to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, where he and his father, Paul Murasko, finished fourth in their division.

Representing South Carolina as a Unified golf team, the two competed together on a national stage, an accomplishment made even more impressive by the fact that Jacob, who has Down syndrome, began playing golf competitively just two years ago.

Although he has played golf since he was around 7, it wasn’t until the family moved from Massachusetts to Hilton Head Island two years ago that he began competing.

In a Bank of America video featuring the pair ahead of the USA Games, Jacob made his competitive spirit clear.

“I play golf with my dad,” Jacob said. “My dad is very good coach. He is amazing father and I can’t wait for USA Games.”

In the video Paul said competing alongside his son has been an emotional experience.

“Him and I became Unified partners and we’ve won a few medals this past season. I did not realize during this whole time how much he was taking to heart. And as soon as they placed the medal, he started breaking down. I started breaking down. I’m proud.”

Jacob first became involved with Special Olympics eight years ago while living in Massachusetts. There he competed in swimming, basketball and track and field at the state level. He also served as a manager for his high school’s boys basketball and girls volleyball teams.

Since moving to Hilton Head Island, he has expanded his athletic interests to include golf, pickleball and kayaking, and he is preparing to try tennis.

Over Labor Day weekend, Jacob placed second at a Special Olympics golf invitational held at Golden Bear Golf Club on Hilton Head Island. The tournament attracted approximately 46 athletes from South Carolina and North Carolina, according to his father.

And his golf season isn’t over.

Jacob is preparing to compete in the upcoming South Carolina Special Olympics state golf tournament Nov. 7 in Columbia.

But sports are only part of Jacob’s story.

Four days a week, he works as a host and busser at The Crazy Crab at Jarvis Creek, where he enjoys greeting customers and interacting with his co-workers.

During a recent interview, Jacob talked about his responsibilities at the restaurant, including greeting guests and talking with customers. He also spoke positively about his managers and co-workers.

“Jacob is very proud of having a job and a job where he is working really independently,” Paul said in the video.

And now Jacob has his sights set on another milestone: college. He is on the waiting list for ClemsonLIFE, a program at Clemson University designed for students with intellectual disabilities.

When asked about his future goals, Jacob didn’t hesitate to talk about Clemson even though his family’s football loyalties traditionally lie elsewhere.
“We’re a Notre Dame family, but we do cheer for Clemson,” Paul said. “You have to cheer for Clemson.”

For Paul and Marla Murasko, watching their son pursue opportunities like college, employment and competitive sports represents something they have encouraged throughout his life.

That independence, however, has come with challenges, including a medical condition that affected Jacob for years.

Jacob spent much of his childhood dealing with severe obstructive sleep apnea, a condition that causes repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep.

Doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Down Syndrome Clinic recognized signs of the condition when Jacob was young, but his sensory sensitivities made traditional sleep studies difficult.

His parents also knew that continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, therapy, which requires wearing a mask during sleep, was not be a practical option for him.

“We saw an individual who was wanting to be active, but was very tired,” Paul said. “And we saw someone who wasn’t always focusing.”

The family eventually learned about Inspire therapy, an implanted medical device designed to treat obstructive sleep apnea without the use of a CPAP mask.

Jacob participated in a clinical trial involving individuals with Down syndrome and received the Inspire implant when he was approximately 18.
The small implant helps keep the airway open during sleep by stimulating a motor nerve with gentle pulses to move the tongue out of the way during each breath. It is turned on with a small remote before bedtime and the stimulation settings can be adjusted to meet a patient’s needs.

For Jacob, those adjustments have been especially important. Due to his sensory sensitivities, he prefers a lower setting.

Within about a month of Jacob getting consistent sleep, Paul began noticing a difference.

“He wakes up and isn’t as tired,” Paul said. “And we notice not only how he acts, it’s how he looks. He doesn’t look like he’s still sleeping.”

A reading specialist who works with Jacob also noticed improvements in his ability to focus during their sessions. Other people who work with him have commented on improvements in his speech and articulation.

Paul is careful not to credit every change to the device, noting that maturity and other factors have likely played a role.

Still, the family believes better sleep has made a meaningful difference in Jacob’s daily life.

“When you get a better night’s sleep, I think life in general is better for you,” Paul said.

Beyond the golf course, Special Olympics has given Jacob opportunities to develop leadership skills. He has served as a U.S. Youth Ambassador, helping promote inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities.

“Special Olympics has actually helped Jacob mature, has helped Jacob grow,” Paul said in the video. “Jacob wants to be a leader.”

With another golf tournament approaching and college on his mind, Jacob is already looking toward his next challenge.