The Radons welcomed Sean (pictured left) into the world on Valentine’s Day. Because of his disabilities, the hospital kept him for another three months and then all of his therapies started when he arrived home.
The many appointments, therapies, and home practices became consuming for the Radons with constant, hard work – but they didn’t want to miss one opportunity to help their son improve. “As a parent, you do everything you possibly can,” his mother Janice said.
When Sean was five, the school district wanted to place him in a special education classroom, but his parents didn’t. That’s when Janice heard about The Arc of Northwest Wayne County.
Not only did The Arc team help get Sean enrolled in general education with support, but they also introduced the family to Lekotek. “It was such a blessing. It made therapy fun! We learned to play as a family.” They could try out toys, use them as motivation to reach milestones, and just play. Over time, Sean learned to walk, communicate without words, and connect with others.
Lekotek also brought her sons closer. “The boys were five years apart, and Jon, Sean’s brother, didn’t know how to play with him. But Lekotek changed that.”
Their favorite was the card game Uno. “Sean loved Uno, and he was good at it! The boys would play all the time growing up. And even when Sean was in the hospital, they would play as a team against others online. Almost every time they’d win – and then they would high five! They developed an unbreakable bond.”
Lekotek is truly a dream launcher! Sean passed away in 2019 at the age of thirty-two. Janice shared, “Everyone said that Sean inspired them. He was here for a reason. He may not have spoken and he walked later than expected, but he was the same as everyone else. Because of The Arc, he lived a great life.”