Happy
New Years Everyone!
This first week I think introducing you to who Sean was is probably the
best place to start so you understand why we started this foundation.
Who
was Sean Nielsen? I will do my best to
keep this short but as his mom I could brag about him for thousands of
pages.
Sean almost always had a smile on his face (unless mom and him were arguing –
which wasn’t often); He was born with numerous physical challenges and around 3
years of age was diagnosed with developmental disabilities and after several
years and tests it was determined that he had AD/HD and was on the autism
spectrum. As a single mom we had 5
different churches tell us that they “didn’t have a program for him” (but they
would be happy if I came back) and experienced severe bullying through junior
high school and yet throughout those years though they were difficult he
maintained his unwavering faith and smile.
And he got me through them by his smile and when it got so rough I
didn’t know if he would make it he would grab my hand and look at me and say “Don’t
worry Mom God’s got this”; which is where we came up with the name of our foundation.
When
Sean entered Valley High School of West Des Moines he was the first student to
be integrated in West Des Moines School District. Sean got the bright idea to play on the
basketball team; those that knew Sean knows that I as a mother was saying to
herself – are you kidding me? Though he
had no skills, was less coordinated than I am (and that is really bad) and he
didn’t know anyone so I knew the boys would make fun of him. But if he wanted to try I was going to see if
it was possible. I went to the
basketball meeting and talked to the coaches and they said there were “no cuts”
so he could be part of the team and Coach Dewey and Newendorf welcomed him even though he didn't have any skills J. But he stuck it out; and on his birthday
party 1 basketball player came to his party.
The coaches asked me if he could be “manager in charge of team spirit”
instead of playing and Sean was SO excited – and from that moment on his
popularity grew. In his sophomore year
the team threw him a birthday party and the entire team was there. By his senior year the freshman, sophomore
and varsity came to his party and boy was I surprised.
During his senior year he was named their
King of Hearts (homecoming king) and I stopped counting at 650 people at his
graduation party. When graduation came
around; I worked with him for 2 weeks how to walk across the stage and shake
hands and drilled him to NOT STOP or hug anyone. When he got his diploma the superintendent of
Valley turned Sean around and his class and everyone attending was giving him a
standing ovation. The look on his face
was priceless as he looked at me like we was going to get in trouble and when I
gave him the thumbs up he relaxed and waved and hooted and that was when I knew
that he had touched everyone’s life in that auditorium and in his way taught
over 2000 a little bit about acceptance and tolerance.
Once
he graduated High School the first thing he wanted to do was move to his own
apartment; I think I broke out in hives over this; but we found him an
apartment and roommates and “true independence” began – unfortunately in Sean’s
world that meant you also had to get a job.
After several missteps Candeo got him an interview at Super Target in
Urbandale with Bill Zook.
He was hired
in the music department; music was his love; you could name a country music
artist and a song they sang and he could tell you what album it was on, what #
it was on the album and who wrote the song which was the perfect skill for the
music department.
He worked there until
he passed away.
His joys while living on
his own was God & Church, Family, Church Camp, Special Olympics, Friends,
Karaoke, country music, working at Super Target, being social in the community
and Chicago Bears.
We
started this foundation to help others with developmental disabilities have the
same opportunities that Sean had if they want; Go to Church, Being Social in
the community and being independent.
