“Grateful Hearts, Lasting Memories”

By the Torres Viteri Family

Deliver the Dream has been part of our lives since 2018. Our local Epilepsy Services Foundation sent us one of their monthly newsletters, where they informed us about the family retreats for families with children with epilepsy. We immediately signed up for it, and our journey began.

Our family retreat with Deliver the Dream gave us the first-ever chance to truly enjoy worry-free time together. Since we don’t have immediate relatives or a supportive community nearby, we’ve grown accustomed to living a solitary life. At the Family Retreat, we tied-dyed t-shirts, gathered around a campfire, and even enjoyed a massage during the boys’ costume party – experiences we had never tried before. The retreat was so amazing that when we saw the invitation for the next one, I called the coordinator to ask if he could make an exception and let us attend again if someone canceled, even though I knew it was meant to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Sadly, no one canceled.

When the world temporarily stopped because of COVID, I feared we might never reunite with our DTD family, but fortunately, the organization reached out with a new opportunity to join their virtual program.

In the middle of isolation, we felt truly seen and cared for. Families like ours already navigate a deep, unique isolation that comes with raising children with special needs. Participating in their virtual programming allowed us to connect with others and gave the boys a sense of security.

After all these years of family reunions, virtual connections, in-person reconnections, bear hugs, and lasting friendships, we feel stronger and renewed as part of a community of families who, without Deliver the Dream, might have faced isolation and loneliness.

Statistics show that most special needs families cannot overcome all of the heavy burdens they face and sometimes end up separated. Thanks to the support and programs from Deliver the Dream, our whole family has grown stronger.

Our family will be eternally grateful for the organization. We have gained a huge extended family and have made memories that will always remind us of the joy that we find in quality family time.