Mother of special needs child a hero

Heroes! They come in all shapes and sizes. Many are deemed heroes for running into burning buildings, being in the line of fire, or saving someone’s life in the ER.
These people truly are heroes. The hero I write about today, however, has a heroic nature of a much subtler type. Though many may never know her name, she is a hero to me all the same.
Her name is Linda Ramey, and she is my aunt. While there are a myriad of reasons I could provide for why she is such an everyday hero — her compassionate spirit and extremely giving nature only a couple among them — my focus today is on the example she has set as the mother of a special needs child.
Linda’s oldest child, Chrystal, was born and later diagnosed with EMH. Whereas many in society shun those with special needs, Linda has always made every effort to include her daughter as a normal member of society.
She also has never made any attempt to hide her daughter from the public as if she should be ashamed of her. When going to restaurants, she allows Chrystal to place her own order. When her daughter wants to go to the grocery store and buy something, Linda lets her count out the money to pay for the items purchased.
She accompanies her on outings to the movies or bowling. All of these things offer opportunities for her daughter to socialize and interact in society.
Looking back, I can even remember times when I would call her on the phone and she might pause because she was going over some math problems she had given her daughter to do. “What’s so special about that?,” you might ask.
These weren’t problems her daughter had been assigned for schoolwork. They were problems her mother had given her so she could practice her basic math skills.
To me, this is important because in doing so, she was preparing her daughter with life skills needed in this world to do the above mentioned tasks of going to the grocery store, paying for a meal, etc.
Some would argue that this is nothing extraordinary. After all, it’s her own daughter, right? Who wouldn’t want the best for her child?
Sadly, even family members of some special needs individuals often treat them like outcasts of society. My aunt has offered a shining example of how to treat people with challenges or limitations. That is what makes this ordinary woman an extraordinary hero.