United Way/CFC Time

This year, please consider giving to Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program!!!!

Jimmy Cast-less

I realized when I updated my blog, I didn't do any cast photos. So I will catch up now.

An Open Letter to The Killers

Wow, I thought this would be easy to write...

My name is Rachel.  I am the mother of two boys and a huge fan of The Killers.  I am, however, not the only fan in the house.

My children are ages 8 and 11, both are huge fans of the band.  My eight year old Jacob and I have tickets to see you at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, VA on December 18th.  We are both excited.

My older son Jimmy, even a bigger fan, will not be in attendance.  He is moderately to severely autistic. A live rock concert, with the lights and the screaming and decibels of the music is too much for him to process.  But I want you to know how he loves you.  He can't express it through words, but does so every day in all sorts of ways.

The Killers' Live From Royal Albert Hall is the only CD in my car now.  It's the only one we listen to.  Jimmy insists that it be on whenever he is in the car.  To school, on the way to Charlottesville to his doctors, to the mall... it has to be The Killers.  He googles you, watches your videos on YouTube, and the DVR'ed concert from HDNet.  He recently had surgery and was in casts for almost a month.  It took him more than a week to stand after surgery.  When he caught you on Yo Gabba Gabba, he was hysterical trying to do his happy dance in his casts.  

Music has always been the biggest, best part of my life.  It pained me when I thought that he would never be able to appreciate something that has brought me so much joy in life.  I realized that he liked music when he bounced to Missy Elliott, hummed Depeche Mode (after years of listening to it in the car), and started searching Deadmau5 on the computer.  But nothing compares to the devotion that he is showing towards you guys.  Moreover, as I watch him develop interests and passions, I see more of who Jimmy is, things that he can't say with words, that he is not a disabled person but a person with a disability who's interests are so much like everyone else's.  

You make him smile.  As I have watched him recover from this surgery, I appreciate it more than you can imagine.  It bothers me that he can't join us for the show.  I'd love for him to be able to come to a meet and greet, sound check (do bands still do sound checks?), or whatever because the show is more than he could handle.  I don't know if that could happen, or if you even will read this, but I can't hurt to try.  I'm feeling badly that Jacob is getting this experience of getting to see you,  but not Jimmy.

If nothing else from comes from this, I want you to know while we all love you here.  

And to Brandon, Dave, Mark, and Ronnie - thank you for bringing so much joy to my amazing, wonderful, incredibly special kid.  You mean more to all of us than you will ever know.

Really American Airlines? Really?

Bede Vanderhorst's parents, call me.  I have a number for the ADA person at the U.S. Department of Justice that I would like to pass along.  They will happily file a claim on your behalf.