To my amazing daughter who has overcome so much.....here we go again:

Since the very beginning, nothing about your life has been typical.....born with erb's palsy with months of physical therapy.....Hospitalized at 11 months, you almost missed your first Christmas.......ADHD in elementary......finally diagnosed as autistic at 15.....Yet through it all, that smile, that fight, that love of life prevailed. You never let anything stop you. You always had your eye on the next prize!

My dear daughter, this was supposed to be your victory lap....Where you cruised across the stage to relish in the success you were able to achieve in spite of it all, graduating from high school. Your victory lap, and my cheers and tears, will have to wait and that is so unfair. Yet, I know, you will overcome this disappointment and rise above to go on to make a wonderful life for yourself. I am so proud of how hard you have had to work (sometimes twice as hard as your peers) to succeed, and how you have never let your disabilities hold you back.

I promise you will have your victory lap, even if its just cruising across the back deck at your belated graduation party this summer! I promise you that none of this diminishes the things you have achieved. I promise you that you are still a rock star in everyone's eyes. Most of all, I promise you that I will always be proud of you! #Classof2020