I am so excited to be running again for this amazing team! Here is our story..
When William was 2 years old he was diagnosed with Autism. Scott and I were very young parents. He was our first child and this was a stressful time for us. We were first alerted that something was wrong because of his lack of language and communication skills. Once we finally got him into speech therapy we were able to move forward with a diagnosis and therapy. We were told that he needed 30+ hours of intensive therapy a week to reach his full potential. This is what the research said, and we all know how important evidence based practice/ research is! We went all in knowing that time and money would be a burden. It was and still can be challenging…spiritually, emotionally, and financially.
Fast forward to now at 10years old, William is a growing, thriving, and a super smart boy! He’s the sweetest kid you’ll ever meet. Go ahead and ask him anything about dinosaurs or animals because he knows it all. It’s fascinating. He has to work super hard every single day at most things that come easy to others. He is inspiring! He would not be where he is today without his educators, therapists, friends, and family. They have all played a vital role in his development.
A few years ago I realized that I wanted to help in some way. I could see how services and community programs were helping William and I wanted that for others. This is where I found Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism. They were doing amazing things for Autism, families,and the special needs community. I decided to use my outlet of running to raise money and run the 2019 Boston Marathon for this foundation. It changed my life and perspective! My husband just completed his second Boston Marathon with the Flutie Team and I cannot be more thrilled to continue fundraising and advocating for such a great cause.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story and consider donating!
Danielle