Hi my name is Dante. I am a special needs child.

I was born missing a part of my 4th chromosome. I can’t speak, or walk, eat on my own, ride a bike or play ball. But I do love to play.

My dad is Delbert, and when doctors told him to spoil me he has done just that! My mom is Vonetta, she is strong, and stern and feeds me thru a tube. Sometimes she lets me go to work with her. My sisters are Tiffany and Alendya. They love giving me kisses, and I love kisses!! 

When they told my parents I was a boy, I could hear them laughing and talking about my anticipated arrival.   Anyway, as I was growing inside my mom, something very special happened to me. When mom went into labor with me, things got real complicated. Lets just say that I took my time thinking about my next move. When I was born, the doctors told them to take me home and spoil me. They did not expect me to live past a couple of months.  I am 14 years old now.

Through the years, I had to figure out how to tell my folks what I wanted or liked. For instance, my dad likes sports, and we both love basketball. So when my team plays, I just sit up right beside him.When he flips the channel , I have to let him know how I feel. I don't care for commercials either , and I wish daddy would stop showing them in the middle of the game. I don't mind getting a little noisy---hey , I told you that I was spoiled---what did you expect!  Dad figured that out real quick.

My mom loves to fish. Sometimes I go fishing with her--- I must have inherited her desire. Once again, I had to figure out how to let her know this. So I decided to hum every time!  Then one day she brought home a “piece of the sea”, with lots of fish inside “just for me”. Thanks mom. I watch them as I go to sleep at night and sometimes I imagine I am fishing... 

Oh yeah, I am a kid, and you may be wondering if I like to play. Well as kids do, I like playing too. My sisters would play with me as we watched cartoons, but I wanted more. Then one day it happened! Dad brought home a toy. All I had to do was hit this big red button and the train lit up, and made sounds, and rolled across the floor.  WOW!!  For me, I felt very special--- I could play all by myself ! This was the beginning of Special Toys for Special Kids. It started several years ago , and a whole lot of "special kids" have been playing every since. What took them so long? I guess adults take a long time to catch on, but I love them anyway!

Since then a whole new world has opened up for me.  I also love music. Sometimes you can catch me bouncing to the beat of certain songs. Oh yeah , I go to church a lot, but I don't mind. You see, I am the son of a preacher, and I have to worship just like everybody else.  Sometimes when dad preaches, he needs help finding his seat. I'll do everything I can to help him out---especially if I know that a game is coming on soon.  Just last Sunday, I caught mom off guard when I repeated the word “AMEN” . Thanks to everybody for all  the things that you do for all of the Special Kids , and thank you Special Toys for Special Kids…..