THE BUTLERS
Before I tell you what Ability Tree (AT) is all about let me share a little more about us and why we founded AT in the first place.
We’re a family of five. A mom, dad and three kiddos. We all have needs, but our son Micah has an official diagnosis and he’s the reason the organization exists.
Here’s a little more of our story… I vividly remember receiving the news of my son’s diagnosis from the neurologist some 20 years ago and it was not encouraging or hopeful. Hearing the experts say that my son had “abnormalities in his brain”, that they didn’t know if he’d ever walk, talk in complete sentences, or one day be independent, was a hard pill to swallow. Doctors aren’t in the business of handing out hope, they give out answers and honestly, when it comes to individuals with disabilities like my son, these are educated guesses at best.
It’s been quite a journey and the first few years were the most challenging. Micah has developed well beyond what we expected in those early years. He walked at the age of four and he’s been talking in sentences for a decade and a half! Micah has blessed our entire family. He will always need someone to care for him and the benefits that come from being his dad far outweigh the personal costs of that care.
Here’s a little more of our story… I vividly remember receiving the news of my son’s diagnosis from the neurologist some 20 years ago and it was not encouraging or hopeful. Hearing the experts say that my son had “abnormalities in his brain”, that they didn’t know if he’d ever walk, talk in complete sentences, or one day be independent, was a hard pill to swallow. Doctors aren’t in the business of handing out hope, they give out answers and honestly, when it comes to individuals with disabilities like my son, these are educated guesses at best.
It’s been quite a journey and the first few years were the most challenging. Micah has developed well beyond what we expected in those early years. He walked at the age of four and he’s been talking in sentences for a decade and a half! Micah has blessed our entire family. He will always need someone to care for him and the benefits that come from being his dad far outweigh the personal costs of that care.