Let me tell you a story. It’s a story about love.
It was 2005, and I had a big problem. My husband and I were looking for a school for our son, Hayden, and we couldn’t find one. Hayden is on the autism spectrum and looking for schools for him when he was just three years old was beyond depressing.
I wanted him to be at a school where the teachers believed in his capabilities, where they cared about him and his growth. I wanted there to be a place where people wanted to help him and get to know him and have fun with him. That didn’t exist for Hayden, or any other kids on the spectrum, and the unfairness of that was overwhelming.
I remember sitting at my kitchen table talking to my husband and telling him that our daughter has so many options because she doesn’t have autism. But Hayden, who also deserved a chance at a great start, had absolutely no options.
Sitting at that table with my husband, I was spiraling. We had no good choices and nowhere to turn. My husband, who really needed me to focus, said, “This is what we have. What else can you do about it?” I thought about that for a moment and the next thing that came out of my mouth was, “I’m going to start a school for Hayden.” My husband stared at me. Then replied, “You’re crazy.” I responded, “Yes, I am.”
I got to work. There was so much to do and while I had some experience because I was already running my family’s medical device company, I definitely underestimated what turning my vision, of the perfect school for Hayden, into reality, would entail. But I was motivated by love. Who else was going to do it and look out for Hayden and give him a chance? Everyone thought I was crazy, but I did it anyway, because I love him. And he was worth that risk.
I kept my focus, and eight months after sitting at my kitchen table, in the summer of 2006, The Shafer Center opened. Watching Hayden walk into school that first day, along with four other kids, I knew I had accomplished something special for him and I hoped for so many others to come.
I was faced with a problem and decided to turn it into an opportunity for a person I love with all my heart. My primary goal was to impact Hayden’s life, but it became about so much more than that.
It has been 20 years since The Shafer Center has opened its doors and I certainly didn’t do this on my own. Our organization is filled with a kind, caring and dedicated team who want to make meaningful impact in the lives of children with autism. We have worked together with hundreds of students and their families. We have been able to increase academic skills and daily living abilities, while reducing interfering problem behavior. We have seen our kids move on from our highly restrictive environment, to less restrictive places where they are more independent.
Without a doubt, we have been able to make an impact. It’s all we have ever wanted to do. To see the joy on the kids’ faces and the relief that families felt to finally have a school option that aimed for service excellence, was a gift.
And it really does come down to love.