Last week, Ben appeared on the front page of the local paper (above the fold!) One of his caregivers saw the need for an inclusive space for friends to gather and has made this space happen. Hats off to Laura! We applaud your vision and drive to make this a reality. Laura was interviewed for the paper and a photo of Ben was captured as he played video games with a friend at the center. Another caregiver bought extra copies of the paper and framed one up for us! Ben is now telling everybody that he is famous. Not only is he enjoying his self-proclaimed fame, he has begun referring to himself in the third person, as in “The Famous would like a Diet Coke with his lunch,” or, “Two out-to-eats this weekend – one for Mom’s birthday, and one for The Famous.”
While I don’t want to overlook Ben’s vital contribution of sitting around playing video games, I think we should consider the possibility that “The Famous” could also be applied to Laura, who had the vision, the heart, the genius, and the passion to turn an idea into a reality. We are so very grateful for people like Laura and Ben’s sister, Sophia, who spend their days working with individuals whose needs can present unique challenges. What do they do outside of work hours? They volunteer their time to work with the same individuals.
This year, as Phil and I spend Valentine’s Day with our third person, The Famous, we reflect on our fortune in having a happy, healthy son, as well as the network of people who care for him in every possible sense of the word care. We wish you all a happy Valentines Day, but if our sentiments alone don’t send cupid’s arrow straight into your heart, we suggest you start referring to yourself in the third person as “The Famous.” You will soon have reporters knocking down your door to feature your contribution to society, be it founding an organization to help those with special needs, playing video games, maybe eating a block of cheese (sorry, that was just me), or perhaps they may capture you just being you. XOXOXO
Congratulations 🎊 to “The Famous”! 👏
“The Famous” thanks you for reading!