TESTIMONY OF ZAKKIYAH AND GEORGE PACHECO

We are the parents of a beautiful vibrant toddler named Alexzander. Alexzander has always had a beautiful warm and inquisitive personality, yet as he developed through his milestone stages, we noticed some things that drew concern. Right away we used all available avenues to get Alex evaluated, so that we may rule out anything and make sure he was developing properly. As his parents, the fear of the unknown weighed heavy on our hearts and minds during this unsure time in his life. The efforts to begin his process of evaluation was an exhausting and extensive journey in and of itself. One thats end with what we both begged for and dreaded.

THEN THE NEWS CAME, OUR BEAUTIFUL BRIGHT VIBRANT BOY IS AUTISTIC; OUR FEARS AND WISHES WERE BOTH BROUGHT TO LIFE AND CRUSHED.

The journey, we discovered, had only just begun. That is when the real battle began, the self doubt of every bump and bruise, of every mistake floods your heart and mind as we asked ourselves, “did we cause this somehow?” as we grappled with the reality, and to make matters worse is the moments of the utter sense of loneliness and being absolutely overwhelmed with all the newfound responsibilities at hand. Searching for guidance, services, therapists, affordability and insurance; between coming to grips with his diagnosis and the responsibility as his parents to provide the absolute best for him we were lost at sea on a boat with no wind.

THAT WAS WHEN, JUGGLING EVERYTHING THAT COMES WITH FINDING OUT ABOUT A LIFE LONG CONDITION, WE WERE INTRODUCED TO JOHANNA AND HER HUSBAND ALI, THEIR SON NIDO AND THEIR ORGANIZATION MAGNIFY AUTISM.

Through them a huge financial weight was lifted, where insurance couldn’t help, and when we couldn’t afford, they provided something that no words of gratitude can hope to express, an opportunity for our son to receive the absolute best. Above and beyond the scholarship, we want to give testimony to them as people, they have provided us, above all, a sense of community, a sense of belonging and a reality that we are not alone, we are not lost, we are just new to this absolutely wonderful, scary, amazing, rewarding journey of being the parents of such an amazing human being.

THE LONG TALKS, THE REASSURANCES, THE SHARED STRUGGLES AND SHARED UNDERSTANDINGS THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT TO US FAR OUTWEIGHS ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE THEY GAVE US HOPE. THANK YOU!