On this day, Cameron's 19th Birthday, I want to write about the incredible relationship that this wonderful young man had with his Tia. The video below is one that he did for her 87th birthday in 2009 when he was eight years old.
During the last two years that she was with us in Gilbert and at Judy's in Mesa, his devotion to her continued. The pictures below show the incredible bond between the two of them.
When she stayed with us during those months, Cameron was her caretaker when I had meetings or needed a night out. During the summer when he was not in school, if I needed to be gone early, he would get up and sleep on the couch until she woke up.
During the time she was in the group home, he visited her faithfully. Many of these pictures are from that time. The day she moved to the group home, he stayed with a friend because he couldn't be there to see that.
The picture with Cameron and her with the computer was the day after our first Board meeting. She was so excited that I was elected president. I had told her but she wanted to watch it, so Cameron brought his computer over to watch with her. She was so happy that I was on the Board and was elected president.
The picture with Cameron and her with the computer was the day after our first Board meeting. She was so excited that I was elected president. I had told her but she wanted to watch it, so Cameron brought his computer over to watch with her. She was so happy that I was on the Board and was elected president.
After Teresa went to Judy's, he stayed with Tia every Thursday night because Judy and Ken had a commitment on Thursdays.
Probably the one that touched me the most is the one on the airplane. When we all went to California to see Patrick's house in September, 2016, I glanced over the aisle and there he was with his head down sleeping on the tray and holding her hand.
And the last picture was just a few days before she died. He is bending over talking to her. She ALWAYS knew him no matter what.
Cameron is a great young man. He is so incredibly bright and like many truly gifted kids, he has not done as well in school as he is capable of doing. He will get this figured out, I have no doubts. He will soon be joining the Air Force. His scores qualified him for all kinds of high level jobs. He scored very high on the linguistics test and that is what he is going to do in the Air Force. I believe the world has great things in store for him and that he has great things to contribute to our country in the future. He can learn anything he wants to. However, the one thing he can't learn is "heart" and he absolutely has that. He is empathetic, caring and a dear, dear young man. I love him with all of my heart, as did his Tia.
And of course my mom was "Great" to him. That certainly didn't heart her ego to be called Great. But she was crazy about him in a different way than my kids. I never saw that side of her until he came along.
Just before she died in 2002, we went out to dinner for Kerri's and Cameron's birthdays. He would have been four. Like any four year old at a nice restaurant, he did something that he shouldn't have done. Kerri spoke to him about it. My mom was sitting at the head of the large table in her wheelchair. She had her fork in her hand and she to upset with Kerri trying to discipline him and she tried to "stab" Kerri with her fork. She couldn't reach her because she was in the wheelchair. However, every year we go to dinner to tell stories about her and we always do the "reenactment of the fork incident!" When we do this soon, I am sure that we will tell that story. The only thing missing will be Teresa!
And of course my mom was "Great" to him. That certainly didn't heart her ego to be called Great. But she was crazy about him in a different way than my kids. I never saw that side of her until he came along.
Just before she died in 2002, we went out to dinner for Kerri's and Cameron's birthdays. He would have been four. Like any four year old at a nice restaurant, he did something that he shouldn't have done. Kerri spoke to him about it. My mom was sitting at the head of the large table in her wheelchair. She had her fork in her hand and she to upset with Kerri trying to discipline him and she tried to "stab" Kerri with her fork. She couldn't reach her because she was in the wheelchair. However, every year we go to dinner to tell stories about her and we always do the "reenactment of the fork incident!" When we do this soon, I am sure that we will tell that story. The only thing missing will be Teresa!
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