He started playing soccer and flag football with them at just two years of age.
All while using his wheelchair for mobility!
We were blessed to find a family like them, and they have held multiple events for everyone in the community with special needs children and their families.
Just recently we got to celebrate Easter, a little different, with everyone.
They, “upgraded”, many things to be accessible to all children, no matter their diagnosis.
They had eggs that would BEEP for children who are visually impaired. They had eggs tied to balloons, so children could come up in their mobility equipment and pick them up.
They had tables for children in wheelchairs to be able to reach the eggs at their own level and hunt (grass and all!).
They even had three other sections roped off: one being for crawlers, one for walkers, and another for the siblings.
Each event they hold, they are blessed with volunteers and amazing companies willing to donate their time and resources to the families all at no charge.
This truly is a wonderful example of a community working together to be able to give our children their own experiences for these things we can take advantage of.
It is a way of creating their own, “normal”. A safe haven for them to never feel secluded or left out.
My Oliver is such a welcomed face amongst the crowd, always running into someone he knows, and considers every one of them a friend!
After the egg hunt was over for Oliver and any other child with a special needs, the siblings got to take a turn in their own field.
This is a huge thing for me, as Aaden (Oliver’s older brother) is always so patient with us and understanding when we have to spend just a little extra time doing things for Oliver.
He sees these events and activities, and for a nine year old this is hard to understand and realize that it isn’t to seclude him but include them both to experience it together.
He got to hunt with kids his age, at their own pace. Aaden even got to enjoy some bounce houses with the other children.