I’m Dan Edelstein, a long time friend of Jeff’s and a fellow sound editor. My wife Pat and I have lived, with our 17 year old son Joe, in Greenwich, CT since we moved from beautiful Brooklyn in 1998. During our time here, Joe, who has significant physical and cognitive disabilities, has had the good fortune of being able to take advantage of the great people and programs provided by Abilis. When I was growing up, organizations like theirs didn’t exist, or if they did I was unaware of them. As difficult as it is to raise a child with profound disabilities, it would be almost unimaginably more so without organizations like Abilis.
Among other things, they’ve provided essential help throughout Joe’s years in the Greenwich Public Schools, most importantly giving school staff much needed support and advice dealing with his sometimes inappropriate behaviors. (Hey, what typical kid doesn’t get upset when he’s not doing exactly what he wants all the time?) Joe is non-verbal, so they understood that it was critical that he gain a “voice” so he could exert some control over his life. Due to their prompting, the school got him a computer which has become the centerpiece of his education. He uses it throughout the day to communicate and make choices, and his “behaviors” are much diminished. Joe’s use of his computer has provided the biggest improvement to the quality of his life to this point.
For Joe and all the special needs kids in the area, Abilis provides activities that they would otherwise never have the opportunity to participate in. They put on plays and dances. They take music classes and perform concerts. They go bowling. They go hunting. (Wait......hunting? No, that’s a joke.) They travel. In light of the fact that people with special needs got almost no support as little as 30 years ago, the formation and growth of support service organizations like Abilis is really one of the cultural miracles of our lifetime.
Right now, Joe is beginning to transition out of high school, into young adult programs, and programs that promote interaction with the community at large. Again, Abilis is providing critical consultations to the school staff, providing ideas and support in all these areas. They are a part of his “team” at school and in fact outnumbered actual school personnel at our last meeting. (But that’s another story - don’t get me started.)
Both for his own independence and anticipating a time when Pat and I are no longer able to care for him, as Joe approaches 21 we’ll be in the process of finding a new home for him, one where he’ll receive the support and care that he’ll need for the rest of his life. It’s an indication of the trust we have in Abilis that when the time comes, we’ll have no hesitation trusting that he’ll be in the best hands possible in one of the residences that they administer. Well, almost no hesitation - we are human after all.
Finally, I’d like to thank Jeff for this incredible gesture to run the Marathon on behalf of Abilis. I was kind of dumbfounded when he suggested the idea to me a couple months ago and now six weeks before the run, I’m still somewhat stunned. Thanks so much Jeff! That’s way beyond the call of duty. And speaking of duty, isn't about time you stopped reading, got off your butt and put in a few miles? Good man.
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