Karli was diagnosed with Level 3 Autism Spectrum Disorder on July 5th, 2023. She had just turned three in June. Her diagnosis came after months and months of suspicion from us (her parents), and close family members.

Some of the signs she showed included lining up her toys, significant speech delays, chronic insomnia, as well as the occasional meltdown or two, her ability to sit through an entire movie undistracted, and her extremely high pain tolerance.

As her mother, I didn't want to even think of the possibility of my daughter being autistic because of the negative stigma attached to the disorder. I was worried for her future. How would she do in school? Would she fall behind? Could she have a normal adult life? What if she never found people to surround herself with that loved and cared for her as we do? But, once we recieved her diagnosis, it's like all the puzzle pieces that made Karli who she is, collectively fit together perfectly. It was a truly surreal and bittersweet moment her dad and I will never forget.

This year, we are walking to raise money for SHARE, an organization dedicated to helping and supporting children with special needs and their families in the Permian Basin. Please consider making a donation in honor of Karli.

Children with special needs are different, but that doesn't make them any less worthy of love. In fact, our Karli has brightened up our lives with her quirkiness and her constant chitter-chatter. She is thriving today under the care of speech therapy and support from family and friends.

Please consider joining our team and walking with us by clicking "Join My Team" on the right side of our team page. If you can't join us, please consider donating in Karli's name. Thank you again for reading!