Long ride home: Three month hospital stay return celebrated with drive-by car show
A positive message on the mailbox to welcome Rousseau back home after being away for so long. Photos by Brandy Muz
An ambulance rolls passed with waves given to Rousseau.
Rousseau’s cousin Veronica Monteiro waves with him at passing cars.
Cars revved their engines in support of Rousseau’s return.
Rousseau enjoying the warm weather from under an umbrella as his father smooths over his hair.
Rousseau and his cousin Veronica Monteiro.
A car decked out in red, white and blue drives past. 
Wareham Police sounded their sirens.
Rousseau was given signs by his aunt Robin during the drive-by.
Kelsey Duffy hands Cheryl Rowe the donations from Factory Five Racing.
Decked out in his new gear, Rousseau enjoyed time with family and friends.
Honeycomb and gold, this Honda revved it’s engine for Rousseau.
A BMW was a part of the sunny-day parade.
A positive message on the mailbox to welcome Rousseau back home after being away for so long. Photos by Brandy Muz
An ambulance rolls passed with waves given to Rousseau.
Rousseau’s cousin Veronica Monteiro waves with him at passing cars.
Cars revved their engines in support of Rousseau’s return.
Rousseau enjoying the warm weather from under an umbrella as his father smooths over his hair.
Rousseau and his cousin Veronica Monteiro.
A car decked out in red, white and blue drives past.
Wareham Police sounded their sirens.
Rousseau was given signs by his aunt Robin during the drive-by.
Kelsey Duffy hands Cheryl Rowe the donations from Factory Five Racing.
Decked out in his new gear, Rousseau enjoyed time with family and friends.
Honeycomb and gold, this Honda revved it’s engine for Rousseau.
A BMW was a part of the sunny-day parade.
With balloons bobbing around the mailbox, trees blooming outside and a wheelchair perched at the end of the driveway — the home of 24-year-old Jared Rousseau is filled once again with love and people.
Rousseau has developmental disabilities and has been in the hospital since becoming septic on Jan. 26 after getting the flu, pneumonia and collapsed lungs. Due to his state he was airlifted to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and has been in constant care.
Through many weeks of ups and downs — he was cleared to be discharged Wednesday, April 30. The hospital played, "Elmo's World," as Rousseau finally left the room he'd had to call home for over three months.
His mother, Cheryl Rowe, hasn't left his side. She shared the four walls of the hospital room with her son for three months, constantly updating Facebook on his condition.
Rowe couldn't speak without becoming overwhelmed with emotions.
"I was with him 24/7," Rowe said. "I didn't leave the hospital."
To celebrate his return home, a line of cars paraded down Rousseau's street honking and waving at him. Family, friends and emergency responders shouted toward him as the street was filled with welcomed noise.
"Jared's been known to the police and fire around here with all his 911 calls," Rowe said.
Rousseau's aunt, Robin Rousseau was in the parade and cheered from her car as she passed by. She became teary-eyed when she spoke about his return.
"It's amazing. He loved this and I really feel that once he's home and he stops getting infections he's going to make a 100% improvement," she said.
Kelsey Duffy is Rousseau's neighbor and family friend. She organized the parade and said seeing everyone show up made her happy.
"I was very anxious about it, thinking nobody was going to show up," Duffy said.
Despite her worries, cars of all makes, models and years met up with her at Walmart before being escorted to Rousseau's street. Factory Five Racing in Wareham donated money and merch to the family in honor of his homecoming — which Duffy gave to him on their behalf.
"I'm not anxious anymore, I'm fulfilled — everything turned out great," she said.
As the cars rolled off down the street, and Rousseau enjoyed the sun on his skin after months of people watching in the hospital — he signed, "thank you."
Robin said that it's amazing that he is finally home.
"And, now we don't have to drive all the way to Boston to visit him!" she said.
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