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Really long years the Anderson family prayed for children. When they heard that they were expecting twins, a boy and a girl, they were overjoyed. Luke and Jaycie came together, a minute, but their paths unfolded differently.
From the start, doctors noted Jaycie something unique. Despite test rounds, there was no clear diagnosis. She was non -verbal, was confronted with major development delays and had already undergone several operations due to her first birthday. Yet her mind was undisputed.
Luke, the older twins, quickly grew in his role as protector and guide. He loved sports, being outside and competing. And Jaycie wanted to do everything her brother did. “She would ask,” What about me? “Her parents remember. For years seemed to limit opportunities until a preschool teacher handed them a flyer for the Special Olympics Young Athletes Program.
That simple piece of paper has changed everything.
Just three years old, Luke and Jaycie came in young athletes together, played games, singing songs and construction skills next to each other. At the age of six they had passed into the traditional Special Olympics program, competitive in track and field, ShameAnd bowling. Sixteen years later they still compete as united partners.
“Special Olympics not only gives Jaycie the chance to do things she loves,” Luke shares. “It gives us the chance to do them together. That is something so special and almost irreplaceable.”
Although Luke is only one minute older, he has always embraced the role of older brother. “Just being her brother and always have her, has formed me above everything I can imagine,” he said. Learning to communicate with Jaycie in her own way, taught him how to love otherwise, with more compassion and patience.
Their band is visible in everything they do. When Luke comes home from work, Jaycie is the first to wait at the bus stop, arms wide open for a hug. They play Arcade games, card games such as Uno, and, of course, train and compete as a team in special Olympics.
For their parents, witnesses their growth through special Olympic Games is one of the greatest rewards of life.
“She has undergone brain surgery, eye surgery and dental mouth surgery,” said Kelly, their mother. “Fast forward, good, six years, her first Olympic Games. She runs over a song, and then she sees people and she waves at people. She sees her waving at that crowd and finishing that race was priceless.”
Jaycie has inspired everyone around her to penetrate the challenges of life.
“She always pushes through. Opportunities with, special Olympic Games give her, experiences that we would not have given her or even thought to let her try. If she can achieve things with the fights she is going through, we have to do the same, do you know?”
Kimo, the father of Jaycie
In Hawaii, Ohana means family. But as the Andersons have discovered, it also means much more. It is a network of connection, connectedness and support. Through Special Olympics Hawaii’s Ohana Task Force, the Andersons found a community of families that walked similar paths.
“Ohana Task Force really creates a great network,” said Epstein, CEO of Special Olympics Hawaii. “It helps families to understand the opportunities and share wisdom.”
For the Andersons, that network became a lifeline. “In the beginning we were a kind of ourselves,” they remember. “Through Ohana we met families who told us what worked for them, how we could navigate challenges. Special Olympic Games really became our hub and our network.”
Today Luke continues to grow as a young man formed by the resilience of his twin sister. “He’s just the friendliest young man,” said Debbie, Special Olympics Hawaii Task Force President. “To view him and Jaycie together, it is inspiring.”
Jaycie, for her part, continues to shine on the Bocce Court and in every environment that celebrates her gifts. Her motto is simple but powerful, “Love God. I love everyone. Always work hard, never give up and use your gifts.”
For this family, Ohana is more than a word. It is a promise, a promise that nobody is left behind. And at special Olympic Games they have found a place where that promise is lived every day.
#stronger #ohana