Introduction
My name is Don Lewis (d_lewis@abilitylabs.com, AbilityLabs.com) and my son Randy is my best friend (along with my wife, of course). When Randy was a junior in college, he was in a terrible motorcycle accident (an accident in every sense of the word; no one was at fault except for the animal crossing the street that Randy tried to avoid hitting). He suffered a severe head trauma among many other injuries, but we’re all eternally grateful he survived. From that day on, his physical and cognitive abilities have changed, but he’s still our son and still my favorite person in the world. I created abilitylabs.com.
Discussion
My son, Randy, was in an accident when he was in college that changed his physical and mental abilities. I remember right after it happened going to support groups, mostly because I wanted to learn how I could help our family adjust in a healthy and harmonious way and to not feel alone in my experience. I remember meeting a lot of parents whose amazing children had been differently-abled their whole lives, and it really made me think about how I would have wanted to make sure Randy always felt included had he been little when his abilities changed.
Now that I’ve finally started my own site to support other families who have a differently-abled member, I want to honor the parents of young children who work so hard to see that their little ones are always included, especially this time of year when there is so much outdoor fun to be had. Here are the resources that I've compiled and found most useful:
- Backyard Camping for Kids with Disabilities
- Playground Tips for Children with Special Needs
- Teaching Swimming to Children with Disabilities: Benefits & Safety Precautions
- Accessible Entertaining: Making Sure Your Disabled Guests Feel Safe and Welcome in Your Home
- The Best Bikes for Special Needs Kids
- Finding the Right Hotel for Your Child with Special Needs
- 32 Vacation Destinations for Individuals with Special Needs
Conclusion
At Ability Labs, we really believe that everyone is special and shouldn’t be defined by
their unique abilities. We hope our site will inspire others to promote or even adopt this
way of thinking.
