Max & His Dream

Max is a prime example of how our neurodiverse loved ones are frequently misunderstood. He didn't inherently make eye contact, nor did he enjoy birthday parties or other gatherings of large groups of strangers. As his mother and primary advocate, Christine was there (& suffered with him) as he struggled to navigate traditional school requirements and social settings. An art teacher refused to give an average grade because, "he can't even draw a straight line." These challenges inspired Christine to change career paths from law to one focused on helping children with special needs, where she's been positively impacting families for over two decades.

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Christine learned that Max's mind showed tremendous ability to create and decipher mechanical and engineering tasks. He invented ingenious contraptions (and they actually worked!) He was a whiz fixing cars, small appliances, and assembling furniture better than following the instructions provided. Max also understood and communicated with animals too. They were drawn to him in ways that boggled neurotypical minds. His mind just worked differently. He wasn't disabled, just different.

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He also had an incredible work ethic. He was repeatedly recognized and awarded for his job performance. He was a consistent and repeated winner of the "Purple Dot" at FedEx, which is an employee of the month commendation. In the right environment he, like so many others like him, consistently performed as well as, if not better than his co-workers. Plus, his associates enjoyed his "quirky" personality as evidenced by their fun stories together.

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Tragically, Max passed away far too young and far too misunderstood.

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Max's dream was to help people "like him" to be better understood and successful in society. He wanted to provide the support and guidance he felt he didn't receive in traditional educational and social settings. His dream lives on! We're striving to make that dream a reality.