Friends of Will and The Center for Discovery
Tax deductible
“I remember thinking it would take a man 600 years to tunnel through the wall with it (a rock hammer). Old Andy did it in less than 20”, thought Red. I suffered my first seizure when I was nine months old. I am now 17. My seizures continue. I fight on. My family and I will never stop "tunneling".
My dad has seen Shawshank Redemption more times than he can remember. Every time, Andy’s singular focus on gaining his freedom inspires him to do whatever he can to help me, Will, his youngest son.
I was born with a rare brain malformation, Cortical Dyplacia. I suffer seizures daily (on average, 40 a month), cannot speak, have limited vision and the IQ of an 18th month old. I have had four brain surgeries, tried more than two dozen medicines, a strict non-carb diet (horrible!), medical marijuana and steroids – all, to stop / quiet my seizures. We keep digging!
My family is conducting our 3rd annual 24-hour Friends of Will walk-a-thon on November 20th. We are walking to help people better understand the challenges of those with special needs and their caregivers and to raise money for my school and full-time residence, The Center for Discovery (thecenterfordiscovery.org). The Center is comprised of three campuses, employs 1500+ administrators, medical experts, teachers, aides and caregivers (largest employer in Sullivan County) and has roughly 1,200 students and residents. Money raised will help them continue to provide best-in-class care, education and recreational activities for people with complex challenges, like me. All proceeds raised this year will go toward the completion of their state-of-art playground (see attached). My friends and I can’t wait to use it!
They’ll walk from noon on 11/20 until noon on Sunday. One member of our family will be on the Cold Spring Harbor High School track (Long Island) for 24 consecutive hours. They will take shifts and support each other, just like they did when I lived at home. Caring for someone with special needs is physically and emotionally exhausting, lonely and isolating, requires laser-like focus and round-the-clock attention, countless sacrifice and, is never-ending. Our 24-hour walk is meant to illustrate some of those challenges.
If you cannot join us and walk on your own, please text photos to my favorite youngest sister, Kirsten at [phone redacted]. If you are on Instagram, please post & tag my Instagram (@williamschupler). Any pictures sent to Kirsten or posted to Instagram will be reposted on my Instagram and Facebook page (Will Schupler)!
Please consider making a donation (of any size) in support of my school and me and to honor my mom, Liz the most amazing mother and caregiver. November 20th is her birthday – let’s celebrate! You can donate below or send a check made out to Friends of Will (a 501C3) to my dad at R. Schupler, 336 West Neck Road, Huntington, NY 11743. https://www.gofundme.com/f/friends-of-will-and-the-center-for-discovery?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
God blessed my family with me (they tell me every day I’m the absolute joy of their lives) because HE wanted to make them (primarily my dad) more compassionate, selfless and empathetic and because, HE knew all of you would walk hand-in-hand with us on this journey. Thank you your consideration and on-going support. We are humbled and eternally grateful.
In closing, like Andy said, “hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies”.
We hope.
My dad has seen Shawshank Redemption more times than he can remember. Every time, Andy’s singular focus on gaining his freedom inspires him to do whatever he can to help me, Will, his youngest son.
I was born with a rare brain malformation, Cortical Dyplacia. I suffer seizures daily (on average, 40 a month), cannot speak, have limited vision and the IQ of an 18th month old. I have had four brain surgeries, tried more than two dozen medicines, a strict non-carb diet (horrible!), medical marijuana and steroids – all, to stop / quiet my seizures. We keep digging!
My family is conducting our 3rd annual 24-hour Friends of Will walk-a-thon on November 20th. We are walking to help people better understand the challenges of those with special needs and their caregivers and to raise money for my school and full-time residence, The Center for Discovery (thecenterfordiscovery.org). The Center is comprised of three campuses, employs 1500+ administrators, medical experts, teachers, aides and caregivers (largest employer in Sullivan County) and has roughly 1,200 students and residents. Money raised will help them continue to provide best-in-class care, education and recreational activities for people with complex challenges, like me. All proceeds raised this year will go toward the completion of their state-of-art playground (see attached). My friends and I can’t wait to use it!
They’ll walk from noon on 11/20 until noon on Sunday. One member of our family will be on the Cold Spring Harbor High School track (Long Island) for 24 consecutive hours. They will take shifts and support each other, just like they did when I lived at home. Caring for someone with special needs is physically and emotionally exhausting, lonely and isolating, requires laser-like focus and round-the-clock attention, countless sacrifice and, is never-ending. Our 24-hour walk is meant to illustrate some of those challenges.
If you cannot join us and walk on your own, please text photos to my favorite youngest sister, Kirsten at [phone redacted]. If you are on Instagram, please post & tag my Instagram (@williamschupler). Any pictures sent to Kirsten or posted to Instagram will be reposted on my Instagram and Facebook page (Will Schupler)!
Please consider making a donation (of any size) in support of my school and me and to honor my mom, Liz the most amazing mother and caregiver. November 20th is her birthday – let’s celebrate! You can donate below or send a check made out to Friends of Will (a 501C3) to my dad at R. Schupler, 336 West Neck Road, Huntington, NY 11743. https://www.gofundme.com/f/friends-of-will-and-the-center-for-discovery?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1
God blessed my family with me (they tell me every day I’m the absolute joy of their lives) because HE wanted to make them (primarily my dad) more compassionate, selfless and empathetic and because, HE knew all of you would walk hand-in-hand with us on this journey. Thank you your consideration and on-going support. We are humbled and eternally grateful.
In closing, like Andy said, “hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies”.
We hope.
Organizer
Robert Schupler
Organizer
Huntington, NY
Friends of Will
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
