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Gabriel was three days when we met him. Gabriel was diagnosed with spina bifida in utero.
He is paralyzed from the waist down. Given his personality, even at that young age, it
was kind of hard to resist him. We made the decision that physical limitations or not,
we thought it was meant to be, and we brought him into our family.
We have three adopted special needs kids. We did not plan on adopting special needs
kids, but they have been absolutely amazing.
"How did you get into special needs? Have you always wanted to adopt special needs kids?"
It's how it happened. That's what we're given. God decided we needed to raise kids that were
a little different than the average kids.
If there's something we can do for our kids to help them live a, quote-end-quote, typical
or normal life... we want to do that.
The ATI Foundation allowed us to acquire the mobility device that he currently has. It
is a wheeled stander. It allows him to mobile, it helps strengthen his legs. By standing
we're hoping that will increase his bone strength. With the stander, he would not have been able
to do this, he didn't have the strength to hold himself with his legs. He would've completely
kept going, but with the stander his legs are starting to get enough strength to hold
himself in a position like that.
He loves to be in it. When he first saw it, he was so excited. He loves the fact that
he's eye level with so many people. He can look people in the eye, where as before he
was always having to look up.
I like Gabriel racing me, cause we always go in a circle and I really love that. He
always rides in his stander, cause he looks like a rocket ship.
We got a phone call from ATI Foundation to attend a Brewer game. Also, that Gabriel would
be invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. It was, it was the time of our lives.
Absolutely amazing, we were embraced. The players were cheering him on, the coaches
were cheering him on. All of the fans were cheering him on. It was such a cool thing
that just doesn't happen everyday. We are extremely appreciative of the ATI Foundation.
It's really amazing when you don't have things available to you how you can figure out to
function. All of sudden God opens those doors. Things just happen, and you find blessings
upon blessings poured on your head. It's just incredible, and ATI Foundation has been amazing
to work with.