Jonathan's Story

Written by his mother, Kelly Stockwell

Every parent has those days when parenting is difficult. Some days we just struggle to make it through. The kids are fighting, the house is a mess, dinner needs to be made, and the to-do list is still a mile long. Even in the best of situations, life can just be overwhelming. Add the challenge of parenting a special needs child to the mix and you might just find yourself at a breaking point.

Many parents with special needs children feel very alone and overwhelmed. In many cases, help is just not available. Resources are limited and hard to find. Most of our friends disappeared long ago. Our children just don't fit in the "normal" schools, day cares, programs. We find ourselves on the never ending see-saw of protecting our children and desperately needing a break. Sometimes the challenges we face go quickly from bad to worse. As a special needs parent, I have lived this scenario more than once. My twelve year old son, Jonathan, was diagnosed with a brain tumor at age four. The brain surgery to save his life destroyed his ability to regulate emotions and behavior. Overnight, life as we knew it changed. Mood swings control and dictate the majority of what we can do as a family. Recently, the medication offering some kind of stability has stopped working effectively. Our family was faced with a difficult choice. Send this child away to a hospital or group home or risk destruction that this disease was causing in our family. Neither was an option. However, Zach's Place was the perfect option, allowing us to keep our family intact while allowing a time of respite for everyone.

Jonathan asks to go to Zach's Place almost every day. He calls it his place to get away from all the noise. He loves the attention. He loves being with other kids just like him. He doesn't feel like he is being cast away from his family. Rather he feels like he has the best of both worlds. He is always sharing stories about his new friends and telling us about all the special things he did when he was there. Recently, Jonathan was in the hospital and the staff at Zach’s Place brought him a card and stickers. This made his day and reconfirmed to me just how incredible the people who take care of our children are! Jonathan’s siblings also benefit from Zach's Place. While Jonathan is at Zach's Place, their needs take center stage. My children especially enjoy when their brother is at Zach's Place because we can do things he physically can't do. While he is happily at Zach's Place, the rest of us can hike, go to the park, or go to amusement parks.

My husband and I have found the time of respite refreshing and energizing. The security of knowing their child is being well cared for brings peace. Respite is a time for us to reconnect with friends or family without the demands of the disease or disability interrupting. It is a time to get errands done. Respite has helped to heal the heart and prevented us from having to choose between one child and the other. I personally have felt supported and cared for by the staff at Zach’s Place who have expressed genuine concern for my entire family.

We, as a family, are so thankful for Zach’s Place and for all those who help to make this safe place available for our special children. Our family has been saved from the destruction of this disease because Zach’s Place was here and available to help.