Donativo protegido
Mason England is a beautiful 12 year old boy with autism. He is non-verbal, and in addition has multiple forms of epilepsy, severe anxiety, OCD, low muscle tone, and sensory processing disorder. Mason is a big brother to Richie (age 11) and attends the Forum School in Waldwick. Mason also has a service dog, Moose, who has been trained to keep Mason safe and to detect seizures. Moose has become Mason's companion, guiding him through what is a very overwhelming world.
When Mason was diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, and we realized how extensive his needs would be - Rich and I knew that I had to be home full time to help Mason. Even though Rich works full time as Captain in the Hoboken Fire Department, along with some other part-time work, Mason's needs are significant and present a real financial challenge. Some examples include:
- Healthcare expenses (e.g., medications, doctor co-pays, daily home therapy, etc);
- Safety equipment (e.g., fencing and alarms, id bracelet monitoring, medical stroller/wagon, etc);
- Technology (including 10+ lifetime iPad purchases because shatterproof case claims don't mean Mason proof...);
- Service dog expenses;
- Household repairs, including oven replacement (Mason turned the oven door into his personal dance stage one evening...), dishwasher replacement (Mason decided his sensory beads needed a good washing, causing a small fire/chemical incident...), kitchen cabinet replacements, etc;
- the reality of saving for life long care.
Mason shows such strength and resilience. He continues to teach us what love truly is - unconditional, pure love. And he continues to teach us that this kind of love does not need words. He is a blessing to each and every one of us - his brother, me, his dad... and anyone else who knows him. I can say I am incredibly proud and incredibly lucky to be his mom, and I know Mason appreciates all the support he receives from those around him.
Organizador
Jamie England
Organizador
Ridgewood, NJ