Getting To Know Lucas

I was able to spend time with Lucas on 2 different occasions this week; first was when I took my kids to meet him at his school in Alamo. The encounter between my kids, who are almost 5, 3 and 1 and Lucas was one of those things that I hope and pray that they never forget. I know I never will. Again Lucas has touched lives by just being. My older kids speak about Lucas frequently and understand why a van would be such a blessing to the O Healy da Silva family. While we were at the school, we were able to see a van that was equipped just like the van that we are working on getting for Lucas. My kids saw the difference between it and most mini vans.....they now see why time and energy is being spent on A Van for Lucas.

My second encounter with Lucas was this morning at his home. His mom was being filmed for the video of A Van for Lucas so I went over to take care of Lucas's little brother, Gabe. Lucas was being cared for my his full time nurse, Lisa. What a wonderful woman she is and boy does she love Lucas! While at their home, I was able to talk to Lucas, look into his eyes, learn that he loves balloons, see him respond to the swiftness that Gabriel moves with, watch Lisa hook up his feeding tube, brush his teeth, ready him for school, help her carry his wheel chair down the steps. Her actions were endless. The part that happened outside of my eyesight was Lisa lifting the wheel chair into the van, bungy cording it in, and then placing Lucas into his carseat for the ride to school. No, Lucas should not be in his carseat, thus the entire reason we are working on A Van for Lucas. However, with no wheel chair equipped van, what choice do they have. It is a risk to ride the way that they do, both with Lucas in the carseat and the wheel chair bundy corded into the car....again, what choice do they have?

They don't have a choice, but we do......we can help them.