Thoughts

Whenever I'm asked to write about Grin Kids, it takes me awhile to be able to compile my thoughts well enough to actually put them into words.  I never understood why that is because Grin Kids is such an important part of my life I should be able to write constantly for hours.  Then it hit me.  This organization and these families have become such a major part of my life, they are part of me and who I am.  You know how it is when someone asks you to describe yourself or write something about yourself.  You know the information better that anybody else does, but it takes you a little while to be able to put all of the things you think are important that people need to know into just a few paragraphs.

These families and these kids give me inspiration in so many ways.  The kids with special needs are the bravest people I know.  For these kids to face wheelchairs, feeding tubes, seizures, surgeries, or whatever else may be the order of the day with acceptance and fortitude, is much more than I could do.  These kids who are all under the age of twelve have been faced with more trials and tribulations than I have and they continue to fight with a special spirit that none of us can truly understand.  The parents of these kids are pretty great themselves.  Every year I learn something about being a parent from the Moms, Dads, and Grandparents that are raising these special children.  I learn more about being a patient Dad, I learn more about what unconditional love is, and most importantly, I learn that I whine and complain far too much when my day-to-day "stresses" get to me.

Saying the Grin Kids families become a part of our lives forever is not just something we spew out on the radio.  These families make such an impact on us we would never let them get away even if they tried.  Even though we take a whole new batch of kids and their families to DisneyWorld every year, we continue our relationships with all of the families long after the trip is over.  We are on their contact lists of people to inform after their has been a surgery, or when someone gets a new wheel chair or K-9 assistant, or when someone has won a special trip to the White House as a reward for excelling in school.   Sadly, we are also on the list of family members to contact when God calls one of our little angels home.  No matter what the situation is when we catch up with former Grin Kids families, there is always a mention and a tear about the best experience of their lives, getting to go to "The Happiest Place on Earth".  Hearing from a parent about how their child, who maybe can't speak, always smiles and laughs and claps every time he is reminded of something that he saw during his trip to Disney really tells us how important our mission is.  It's our time to give them a break from doctors, hospitals, therapy, and whatever else they face in their day-to-day routine.

This is not something for which we take credit.  We give all of the credit to people like you, members of the Ace & TJ radio family, who help us all throughout the year to make these little fighters' dreams come true.  Thank you very much for your support and God Bless you.

Sincerely,
 TJ