Lone Ranger: A solitary, sometimes mysterious heroic person.
Families of children born with intellectual and developmental disabilities are most often lifelong caregivers. That was the case with our family because Christopher was born with Down syndrome and related disabilities. With an intellectual age of between two and seven that spanned over forty-eight years, he needed constant care. Chris, could do many amazing things, drive a go cart in circles, love with abandon, and bring joy to everyone he met, but his basic needs had to be met 24/7. Being a caregiver can feel a lot like being a lone ranger.
It is for this reason that we created the Christopher Smith Foundation, to honor the lone rangers. We know other caregivers are “out there,” heroic people who quietly go about the business of caring for a loved one, or those amazing humans who work caring for others in a field that largely goes unappreciated, but our day-to-day lives don’t allow us to meet with others who are facing the same challenges we faced. The Christopher Smith Foundation is a lifeline to those families, and to those special professional caregivers, and we exist to say thank you to caregivers both professional and family. If you know of a special caregiver who deserves recognition, please reach out.