“She walked me across the stage to get two degrees. She helped me meet new people and form lasting friendships. All she asked for in return were belly rubs.”
‘You’re perfect for each other.’ In her presence, I felt I could be something more than what I was.’: Woman shares beautiful journey with her guide dog
‘In the last minutes of her first senior year game, she screamed in pain as she fell to the ground, her ACL torn.’: Daughter’s inspiring journey to appreciating life despite ‘the change of the sails’
“She had big plans for this year. She was in talks with many college coaches about playing for them the following school year. And then, BAM. With one unfortunate soccer play, her life changed dramatically and instantly.”
‘You can do all the same things ‘so-and-so’ did and your child still may not achieve the same things.’: Special needs mom urges ‘go easy on yourself’
“I’m not saying don’t do it. I’m not saying to give up. I’m not saying don’t try. I’m saying it’s okay. It’s okay if you do it all and still fall short of the goal. I’m saying it’s not your fault.”
Dear Special Needs Parent: I May Not Be Who You Expected, But I’m Exactly Who I’m Supposed To Be
“People will tell you I’ll be ‘delayed,’ but by whose standards? I’ll get there in my own time, on my own terms. Life is to be enjoyed, not to be measured by what I can do and at what age I do it.”
‘If something doesn’t turn around, you won’t make it out of here.’ I CAN’T have a 4th surgery.’: Survivor of 3 life-threatening surgeries advocates for those with invisible illnesses
“I truly believe that miracles happen every day, otherwise, I wouldn’t be here today.”
‘She’ll pass away within 2 weeks.’ I was the FIRST child in the world to survive.’: Woman shares journey as survivor of rare congenital abdominal aortic aneurysm
“My feet would go numb. ‘This isn’t normal,’ teammates would say. In hindsight, I think sports helped save my life.”
To The Kind Stranger Who Gave This Special Needs Mom The Strength To Carry On
“You could’ve judged us. You could’ve given us dirty looks. You could’ve asked us to quiet down, but you didn’t. You had no idea I was holding on by a thread. You had no idea your words that day gave me strength.”
‘The doctor entered the room and revealed what I already knew. My beautiful boy had level three autism, the most severe.’: Special needs mom shares diagnosis journey, urges ‘don’t ever set limits on your child’
“The doctor continued to speak, but I could no longer hear him. I was too busy watching my beautiful boy and silently pleading with him to look at me. If he would just look at me, then just maybe everyone was wrong. He would be able to one day speak.”
My Abilities Are Different As A Person With Down Syndrome, But My Hopes And Dreams Are Not
“Sometimes people think that people with Down syndrome are all the same, but we are not. We are all different and have our own personalities.”
My Dear Special Needs Child, I Won’t Give Up On You—It’s Us Against The World
“Even when the schools do not have a place for you to thrive. Even when governments with power to change things do not believe you deserve help. Even when people glare at you in disgust for not being able to do things you cannot understand. Even when the world around you would rather you be hidden.”