My middle child was two years old (10 years old now) when he was diagnosed with nonverbal Level 3 autism (DSM-5). I had noticed the signs around 18 months and was expecting the diagnosis—but even then, it was still hard.
Everything I thought life would look like shifted.
My expectations, my plans, my vision of the future… all had to change.
I had no experience with disability. I didn't know where to start.
In the beginning, I didn't know anyone who had gone through something like this. I felt completely alone.
So I did what I could.
I spent hours on my phone late at night researching. I searched websites, read articles, joined groups, scrolled through posts, and tried to piece together anything that could help me understand what my child needed and what our future might look like.
I was trying to learn a world I had never been part of before.
Some nights I would stay up far too late reading because I was scared that if I missed something, I would somehow be failing my child. I was desperate for answers, desperate for guidance, and desperate to feel like I wasn't the only one trying to figure it all out.
What I needed most during that time was not judgment or comparison.
I needed compassion.
I needed someone to say, "This is hard, and you are not alone."
That is why this space exists.
There are people entering this world every single day.
Parents receiving diagnoses.
Caregivers trying to understand new needs.
Individuals navigating their own experiences.
Some have years of knowledge.
Some are just beginning.
And both deserve the same thing:
Compassion before comparison.
No two journeys look the same.
And no one should feel judged for where they are in theirs.
To those walking their own path
I don't want to pretend I know exactly what you're going through.
We are all on different paths, facing different challenges, and living with different experiences. There are so many disabilities, so many stories, and so many ways life can look—and each one matters.
Whether you are a parent, a caregiver, or someone living with a disability yourself—I see you.
My hope is not to define your experience, but to support it. To create something that makes things just a little easier. A place where you can find connection, access resources, and maybe feel some joy along the way.
You deserve to feel seen, supported, and included here.
To the parents who feel alone
I see you.
I see you trying to make the best decisions for your child while learning something completely new and unfamiliar. I see the weight you carry, the questions you ask yourself, and the love that drives everything you do.
This platform was created for you.
This website is the phoenix raised from my ashes for you.
Disability Connection Hub was built from that place—the place of feeling lost, searching for answers, and wanting to feel understood. It is my way of creating the connection I wish I had.
You are allowed to feel that this is hard.
You are allowed to have difficult days.
You are allowed to say, "I don't know how I'm going to get through this."
None of that takes away from your love.
If anything, it shows just how deep that love runs.
If you're in a hard place right now, I want you to know this:
You will be okay.
You are stronger than you think.
You are doing better than you feel.
And you are not alone.
Find your phoenix.
Let it rise.
And don't apologize for who you are becoming.
Thank you for being here ❤
