I long to hear those three little words from our son Kyle,but without support from friends and family like you, I may never hear it.
Betsy heard Kyle tell her "I Love You" before he regressed and lost his verbal communication. Yes, he signs it to us and shows affection, which a lot of autistic child do not, and we are very lucky in that respect. Yet, we long to hear those words again, and again, and again.
Simple to most, yet for a child with autism, it's one of the most difficult things in the world. They get frustrated and pitch fits because they can not express what they long to tell you.
We ask that you help us reach this goal by supporting us in our efforts to raise money for autism research/Autism Speaks with Team Aruba at the Carolinas Walk Now for Autism at Lowes Motor Speedway on Oct. 6, 2007. You can donate a little of your time and join our team online or donate a little money.
We appreciate your time and efforts in our fight against autism!
And we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Sincerely,
Gator
I still remember where I was when I heard about the first plane hitting the WTC........on the Internet on the computer in the hallway outside my office at United Supply in Charlotte, NC on the phone to our vendor's marketing mgr and dear friend (whom Gator was suppose to be set up with the night we met but she's too tall for him) Jen P. discussing something about Conso's product lines or a trade show or something.
Gator was driving a hazmat tanker, delivering to Baltimore, MD. I know I wasn't going through anything like the families in NYC, but when your loved one is near danger and you can't protect them or put your arms around them, you are terrified.
Then there was an immediate lock-down on hazmat truck drivers who were anywhere in the vicinity of possible attack targets.......they were afraid the next thing would be tankers used for attacks.
Gator has always had a very big heart and tries to help everyone.......well his next project would soon prove to be the victims of 9/11. We ended up with semi trailers located in our church parking lot in Rock Hill, another at Conso in Union and his mom getting supplies from people in Thomson, GA! We ended up with an article in the local papers in Rock Hill and Union. Then we had our other driver, Willie (we owned 2 semi trucks), family, friends and a reporter from the local tv station in Rock Hill going with us in the semi and a van to deliver the supplies to NYC.
We left at approx. 11pm on a Friday night and arrived in NYC early the next morning..........Gator and Willie took turns driving. We were told we had clearance to go to Ground Zero, but when we arrived we were re-routed to Long Island........ever been on 32nd Street? Well I had before, but try riding in a semi with a van tailing you to make it through red lights while you are being filmed having a pillow fight while you pass Macy's and try to keep your husband calm as he maneuvers around taxis!!!! Yep, been there, done that, have the video!
When we finally arrived at the warehouse on Long Island, we were taken aback by the response from the military guys there who were to unload our truck when they saw the flag that the preschoolers had made at our church with their hand prints. At the bottom it said "our tiny hands are folded in prayer for you NY". They immediately hung it.........there was nothing like that feeling!
After 9/11 there were lots of memorials, commentaries, tv specials, etc., but the one that affected me most was this 2002 Super Bowl commercial by Budweiser........it says it all.
We keep you in our prayers NYC, and we will never forget!
