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It's a sacred responsibility to raise any child and to help mold their future. I think we need to take it very seriously regardless of the challenges. We're incredibly naïve when we become parents, it's the most challenging role you'll ever have, but the rewards are incredible.
The parents I've met who are trying to raise special needs are some of the finest human beings I've ever met. They take their jobs very seriously.
What's the key to coping with all the challenges you've faced?
Two of the most important factors are humor and faith. Humor is incredibly important. The first year after our son's death, at 10 p.m. every night my husband and I would sit down to watch 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' Research proves how important laughter is with the body, mind and soul. Some of the experiences with a special needs child are so absurd, you just have to laugh or you go crazy.
What do you mean by "faith?"
I mean believing in something beyond yourself. I believe that everything I've ever experienced was designed to move me to a special place. I sort of feel like I've adopted the world's children with special needs -- they're vastly underserved, and not talked about. It's my passionate mission to improve the lives of these children and to present a much more positive face on this population. We need to help them achieve their life dreams too, just like we do with other children.
What were Eric's dreams?
When he was three, an associate professor at Michigan State discovered musical talents. He was at a regular preschool, part of my plan to give him a normal life. She noticed all his reactions to music, said "He was full of music."
He was composing music before he died. It's about looking beyond disability to tap into a child's innate talents and abilities and then nurture them as you would for any child. Too often we look at special needs children and we dismiss these things. They're children first and they often offer lots of gifts and talents that aren't uncovered.
What happened to your career while you were raising Eric? It was a no-choice choice. My priority at the time was to create a brighter future for him and for our family. So my dreams had to go on the back burner.
What about your marriage? How did you sustain it? It's tough enough for most couples to get through the challenges of childrearing.
We will have been married thirty years in August. My husband's a wonderful father. I'm extremely proud of the fact that we came together as a team, that we had honest discussions. We had our moments for sure, but we work very hard at it. Too many people bolt too easily, but we had a real commitment to it and still do. I think it helps that he was my friend for eight years before we had children. We got to build a foundation.
Tell me about Eric's untimely death.
The parents I've met who are trying to raise special needs are some of the finest human beings I've ever met. They take their jobs very seriously.
What's the key to coping with all the challenges you've faced?
Two of the most important factors are humor and faith. Humor is incredibly important. The first year after our son's death, at 10 p.m. every night my husband and I would sit down to watch 'Whose Line Is It Anyway?' Research proves how important laughter is with the body, mind and soul. Some of the experiences with a special needs child are so absurd, you just have to laugh or you go crazy.
What do you mean by "faith?"
I mean believing in something beyond yourself. I believe that everything I've ever experienced was designed to move me to a special place. I sort of feel like I've adopted the world's children with special needs -- they're vastly underserved, and not talked about. It's my passionate mission to improve the lives of these children and to present a much more positive face on this population. We need to help them achieve their life dreams too, just like we do with other children.
What were Eric's dreams?
When he was three, an associate professor at Michigan State discovered musical talents. He was at a regular preschool, part of my plan to give him a normal life. She noticed all his reactions to music, said "He was full of music."
He was composing music before he died. It's about looking beyond disability to tap into a child's innate talents and abilities and then nurture them as you would for any child. Too often we look at special needs children and we dismiss these things. They're children first and they often offer lots of gifts and talents that aren't uncovered.
What happened to your career while you were raising Eric? It was a no-choice choice. My priority at the time was to create a brighter future for him and for our family. So my dreams had to go on the back burner.
What about your marriage? How did you sustain it? It's tough enough for most couples to get through the challenges of childrearing.
We will have been married thirty years in August. My husband's a wonderful father. I'm extremely proud of the fact that we came together as a team, that we had honest discussions. We had our moments for sure, but we work very hard at it. Too many people bolt too easily, but we had a real commitment to it and still do. I think it helps that he was my friend for eight years before we had children. We got to build a foundation.
Tell me about Eric's untimely death.
