A few weeks ago I wrote about the AMBUCS proposal with the Pepsi Refresh Program . I was asking you to vote for their $50,000 grant to give therapeutic Amtrykes to 100 children with disabilities. In my excitement and enthusiasm, I thought Ben was on that list of 100. He was actually 340th on the list. This information filtered down to Ben's Aunt Olivia, my sister. As a surprise, she and her family donated the tricycle for Ben. It came last week and the photos are from his first day riding on it. Clearly, he is enjoying himself. In those first moments as Ben sat on his tryke, I kept imagining the 100 children who were about to receive theirs from the grant through Pepsi Refresh. For the past several months, Ben has been in a baby stroller or Convaid wheelchair for any type of travel or outings. I am sure other parents and families make do with what they can, and it truly is an exciting moment to see your child receive something that will make him more independent, more mobil
These stories describe our journey with Ben, our oldest son. Ben is a sweet and energetic redhead, born with Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic mutation. My husband, Ryan, and I try to keep up with Ben and his two younger brothers. I intend to shed insight into raising a child with disabilities and pass on the wisdom we’ve earned over the past two decades.