Kerri has made every post on this blog and for a while I have felt like I needed to contribute. Perhaps a father’s perspective about Dray and this experience on our family could benefit someone.

The first thing I want to mention (as Kerri has done) is the amazing people who surround, include, and encourage Dray continually. Doctors, Speech therapists, Nurses and Specialists provide much more than their professional expertise, they deliver a level of care and genuine concern that goes well beyond Dray’s medical needs. Family members from all over the country and some from overseas have included Dray in their prayers, contributed to his trust fund, and many of them have taken the time to learn sign language to help Dray feel welcome. Specifically, I want to acknowledge the Grandparents who are probably Dray’s favorite people on earth. They have had a profound influence on his character and his self-image and continually support Kerri and I on a daily basis to deal with the stresses associated with Dray’s condition. We have also been fortunate to have friends and neighbors who have gone out of their way to include Dray in activities.

Of all the people I’ve mentioned above I believe three people in particular truly shape Dray’s life more than all others… those people are Dray’s two sisters Kate & Elle and Dray’s amazing mother, Kerri.

• Kate (14 months younger than Dray): It is awesome to watch the kids play together because Kate takes the time to sign everything to Dray and then he responds by using words. Both struggle through the process, but both enjoy each other’s company and they really do play well together. Kate is particularly advanced for her age and very mature with how she patiently communicates with Dray. We couldn’t have asked for a better friend for Dray.

Elle (4 years younger than Dray): Elle has an impressive signing vocabulary and she does an awesome job communicating with Dray. Even though Elle pushes Dray’s buttons at times she provides an opportunity for Dray to teach a younger child about things and he really does watch out for her needs.

Kerri: As many of you can tell who read this blog, Kerri is an amazing mom. She has never given up and has chosen to not let this challenge defeat Dray or our family. She has persisted numerous times when we weren’t making progress and her persistence has been CRITICAL for Dray’s advancement. I can’t overemphasize how her persistence and continual efforts to find the best treatments for Dray has made the difference. Kerri has been right so many times on what steps we should take and what we need to do to move forward. I shutter to think about where we would be without her intense involvement.

Shots, doctor’s visits, constant medications, the inability to communicate, and the fear of not understanding what is happening in the world around him have forced Dray to be a “big boy” at a very young age. He has responded brilliantly and continues to move forward in life. Dray is absolutely an amazing boy. With his disability he should have no reason to have confidence to speak with or communicate with anyone, and yet he approaches people without the slightest hesitation and engages people with his huge smile and just starts trying to talk like there is nothing wrong with him. I’m amazed at how fearless he is about life and his level of confidence. His ability to jump into people’s hearts is astonishing.

I was able to take Dray to his latest appointment with Dr. Chez. We took two flights from Salt Lake to Sacramento in the morning and another two in the evening to return home. It is a very long day, but it was a pleasure to be with Dray throughout it all. He made a number of friends throughout the day. Our first flight when we walked on board I turned right to go down the aisle and Dray turned Left and entered the flight deck. He just wanted to say hello to the pilots. When we arrived in Sacramento Dray was able to win the hearts of a couple of Southwest Airlines gate agents and they let him make a Passenger Address in the Terminal, a simple “Hi” rang throughout the building. His appointment with Dr. Chez went very well and it was good to see the level of knowledge Dr. Chez had on Dray’s case. Dray had a fun time playing with other patients while we waited for our appointment. On our first flight home he sat next to a 7-year old girl who was flying alone, amazingly she knew a lot of sign language and chatted with Dray the whole flight. When Dray discovered the girl’s Uncle owned a Ford Mustang he instantly fell in love with her. Before the flight ended Dray asked her if she would give him a hug. The embrace was priceless. While we waited for our last flight of the day Dray made friends with a woman and her dog they entertained each other for about 20 minutes. On our final flight a flight attendant loved Dray so much she gave him a huge bag of airline peanuts. It was his prize trophy for the trip.