My brother, Terry
I remember hearing my brother's heart-wrenching cries from his crib. Terry was born with a malformed leg and had to wear painful-looking braces at night. From the very start, Terry would have to struggle to do things that most of us take for granted. He still crawled when others his age started walking and talking. We were devastated when he was diagnosed with a developmental disability.
My parents uprooted from a comfortable life so that Terry could attend a "Special Ed" school in Miami. At the time, the disabled were still not entitled to an education like they are now, so my parents sacrificed to send him there. Life was not easy, and sometimes Terry was taunted by the kids in the neighborhood. Kids can be the cruelest of all!
Still, Terry yearned to be like other kids and wanted to ride a bike. He seemed too weak and uncoordinated, and it seemed like an impossible dream. But my father believed Terry could be taught to ride a bike. My father held his bike from behind -- running him up and down the street for months. Terry fell many times, but he kept getting up and trying again. He finally caught on one day and was riding up and down the street under his own power! It seemed like a miracle, and it taught me a valuable lesson. Everyone should be given an opportunity to achieve their potential, whatever that might be -- and we should be careful not to underestimate anyone, no matter how impossible the task may seem.
After 35 years, Terry outgrew the Special Ed facility, and we searched for another place to help him keep growing. We looked across several states. We were traumatized and horrified by what we saw, and I vowed to never let Terry stay at any of those places. We were thrilled when we found Twin Palms. Terry loves to attend, and we are so grateful that he has a place to go -- to learn, to feel safe, to socialize, and to feel accepted. Developmentally disabled adults need our love and support -- and they deserve a place like Twin Palms.
