What Tracy Taught Us
Sharon’s Story
I was 25 years old and the mother of three very active little girls (including Shawn, age 7 at the time) when my parents came to me and asked if I would be embarrassed having a sibling at my age. I was thrilled for them. Although my dad had two grown daughters, my step-mother had never had a child. At 35 years old she had given up and was content to be the best grandmother there ever was to my children. The birth was difficult and my new sister, Tracy, was in the incubator for some time; and didn’t come home from the hospital until she was about 2 weeks old. We knew there were problems but had no idea to what extent.
Shawn's Story
One might say I’ve been an advocate since I was seven years old; when my aunt, Tracy, was born. Tracy stole our hearts from the start. I was too young to truly realize the implications of cerebral palsy and profound mental retardation. I just knew she was a sweet, little baby, my aunt.
