Aiden, or Elijah, as he prefers to be called, is a bubbly, social butterfly. When you walk into a room and Elijah smiles, it radiates around the room. He laughs often, and if he laughs and kicks his legs, you know he’s really happy. Although he’s non-verbal, sometimes if you ask him a question he can tell you “Yeah” if he agrees. His mom says this is a big win.
Elijah’s favorite activities include watching cartoons, snuggling and hugging, and bouncing on the trampoline with his brothers. He loves being in any kind of water, and his favorite music includes the gospel songs he hears at church.
Due to two brain injuries, Elijah has cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and requires a g-tube. His life expectancy wasn’t anticipated to exceed one year. Today, at age five, he has a friendly, tenacious spirit. He works hard in his physical therapy sessions, even when he isn’t feeling well. His mom, Derica, feels that he is still here because he has a purpose. “He helps all who know him realize, if this little boy, with all his challenges can be joyful, why can’t I?”.
His family is inspired by his strength and his desire to keep trying. He shows love to all and wants to be included like anyone else.
Aiden, o Elijah, como prefiere que le llamen, es una mariposa burbujeante y social. Cuando entras en una habitación y Elías sonríe, se irradia por toda la sala. Se ríe a menudo, y si se ríe y da patadas en las piernas, sabes que está muy contento. Aunque no es verbal, a veces si le haces una pregunta puede decirte “Sí” si está de acuerdo. Su madre dice que esto es una gran victoria.
Las actividades favoritas de Elijah son ver dibujos animados, acurrucarse y abrazarse, y saltar en la cama elástica con sus hermanos. Le encanta estar en cualquier tipo de agua, y su música favorita incluye las canciones gospel que escucha en la iglesia.
Debido a dos lesiones cerebrales, Elijah tiene parálisis cerebral, retrasos en el desarrollo y necesita una sonda gástrica. No se preveía que su esperanza de vida fuera superior a un año. Hoy, a los cinco años, tiene un espíritu amable y tenaz. Trabaja duro en sus sesiones de fisioterapia, incluso cuando no se siente bien. Su madre, Derica, siente que sigue aquí porque tiene un propósito. “Ayuda a todos los que le conocen a darse cuenta de que si este niño, con todos sus retos, puede ser alegre, ¿por qué yo no?”.
Su familia se siente inspirada por su fuerza y sus ganas de seguir intentándolo. Muestra amor a todos y quiere ser incluido como cualquier otro.
Family Connection of South Carolina provides services and resources to families who have a child with a disability or specialized healthcare need. Since 1990 we have served more than 100,000 families and today our services are needed more than ever. We focus on parent-to-parent support, guidance with navigating the complex healthcare system, and assistance with school meetings and special education plans.