Jan 13 2009
Perspective
The Grys Family of Pekin, Illinois are a pretty amazing bunch. They have two biological kids (both sons in their 20’s), plus they’ve adopted three children with disabilities: 16-year-old twins Abagail and Rebekah (who have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) and 8-year-old Jake who has Ontogenesis Imperfecta (a.k.a. Brittle Bone Disease) and dwarfism. Additionally, they’ve fostered over 250 children, often with special needs themselves. I met them, via TV, when they were featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.
As many of you know, Sunday was not a particularly good day for me. My chair fell over with me in it (ouch!) and missed my much anticipated mall trip. But seeing this little boy whose bones break as easily as eggs, smile and ham for camera brightened my miserable day. After all, I thought if what happened to me (falling over in my wheelchair) had happened to him (he’s in a chair, too); he would’ve died or broken at least half of his bones on the smashed side. All I got was a neck and shoulder ache; what a lucky woman I am.
I suppose it’s all a matter of perspective. Thank you, Jake, for giving me some.
