My Training Partner
Oliver Dillon, my grandson,
is my inspiration and my hero. He is 7-years old and is
disabled. We do not have a definite diagnosis, but Ollie
displays many of the symptoms of Angelman Syndrome.
More information on this syndrome can be found at the
website shown on the Links page.
My oldest daughter, Lisa, is donating a portion of the
proceeds from her sale of stationary products to
Angelman Syndrome research. See
Charming Cards on this
website.
I have assumed a large
role in Ollie's life, helping him to receive the care
and treatment he needs. He, in turn, has changed my life
forever. He has made me sensitive to the needs of the
disabled and our obligation to assimilate them into
society and help them to realize their full potential.
He has helped me put everything in perspective and
appreciate what is really important in life, with faith,
family and friends at the top of the list. He has made
me a better person in ways that are too numerous to
describe.
Ollie is in a special
education school and receives intense physical,
occupational and speech therapy at school and from
private and public therapy service providers. His
doctors, teachers and therapists are wonderful. He climbs his own
Mt. Everest every day of every week. I have such
enormous respect for his courage and stamina. Ollie
reached a very significant milestone on his trip to the
summit when he started to walk on his own in December of
2006--my best Christmas gift ever.
Ollie taking some of his
first steps
Ollie and I travel a lot,
including hiking, bicycling, trips to Disneyland, trips
to local parks and amusement centers, and train
rides--he loves the motion and movement of trains. In
October 2007, Sharon, Ollie and I took a 5-day round
trip train ride from Los Angeles to Seattle on the Coast
Starlight. We had a great time.
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Ollie
after completing his safety check on the
locomotive
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Ollie
in his stateroom
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Ollie with
Papa at lunch
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Ollie at
dinner with Grammy and Papa
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Ollie
enjoying the view
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Ollie
enjoying the view with Grammy |
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Ollie
enjoying the view with Papa |
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Ollie at
the aquarium in Seattle
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Ollie with
his cousins at the Spaghetti Factory in Seattle |
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Ollie with
Grammy and Papa at the Spaghetti Factory in
Seattle |
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Ollie and
Papa walking along the wharf in Seattle |
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Best buddies relaxing in the hotel room in Seattle |
On June 8, 2008, Ollie and I entered a 5K
race. We took first place in my age category.
Ollie & Papa Win a 5K Race
Ollie also loves water, so
we spend a lot of time at beaches and water parks. Ollie
is helping me train for Mt. Everest. On Sunday of each
week, we take 40-50 mile bicycle trips in the mountains
and along the coast. I pull him in a trailer behind the
bike. We love spending this time together.
Ollie and Papa bicycling
along the Pacific Coast Highway with the sun setting
behind Santa Catalina Island
A painting of the above photo that was given to me by my children and their families for my 66th birthday.
Ollie
travels with me to every mountain I climb, in the form
of a photograph. God willing, should I stand on the
summit of Mt. Everest, Ollie will be standing beside me.
Click here to see the slideshow version
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Note: red border images are downsized to 150 x 150 pixel max.
Click on any red border image to enlarge it to the original size.
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