WHAT ICONS WE BECOME

The LOVE of my life!

For almost thirty years I have been an advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities because I started my parenthood as a father of a child with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Forty-six years ago, when I became a parent, my chest was out far and my joy was way over my head, I realized my responsibilities were now no longer free of care. Then one day my wife and I realized the terrible shock of learning that my daughter has developmental problems and that life would never be the same again.

One day I decided to give time to the agency that was helping us be parents to a child with disabilities and offered my services to them as payback for all their help. From that offer, I suddenly found myself on the Board of Directors.

Now I am a member of the Board of Governors of NYSARC the umbrella organization, current President of the Board of Directors of AHRC Suffolk and am a member of various committees. Amid all this, the one constant that remains is my daughter Ellen's future. However, in all this time I discovered my sweet daughter is an icon for me, one that is representative of a whole bunch of people that we serve! THEY HAVE COLLECTIVELY BECOME A PASSION OF MINE AND I WISH TO SERVE THEM WITH A PASSION!

My little girl has indeed turned my life upside down, in a good way. She through her disability has taught me that there are others just like her, all in need of the same love, all in need of assistance in making their lives better and more meaningful. I can only thank her for this opportunity to do a good work for others.