Drake is an extrovert with an incredible sense of wonder and curiosity. He is full of empathy and cares deeply about others, which makes him an incredible big brother. Drake loves Legos and heenjoys using the parts for his own creations that he calls “makes.” Above all, he loves to experiment and take things apart to understand how they work. He could follow huge Lego instruction books all on his own by age five!
This little engineer was exceptional in many ways as a baby, but he consistently missed milestones for speech and fine motor development. As Drake struggled with communication, his family began using some sign language because he was late to talk, but he remained frustrated because he truly wanted to use words to communicate.
Drake began speech, occupational, and physical therapy around age two and, nearly three years later, graduated from all of them. He spent years working so hard to speak, and once he did, he never stopped and is endlessly curious. He will talk to anyone about anything and won’t hesitate to start a conversation with a stranger. Drake is diagnosed with ADHD at age five and has been doing amazing in school with the help of his medication and doctors. He is now regularly on the honor roll!
His mom, Paige, writes, “I hope that Drake can develop a strong sense of perseverance, and never quit when he has a goal in mind. I believe he will be a kind person who will always stand up for what is good and right and will stand in defense of those who need it. I hope he never loses himself in that process and lives a life that is fulfilling and joyful.”