This Week's Mission Moment
Two years ago, I met a lovely family who had just moved to Quincy from Florida and joined our Y for inclusive swim lessons. They are a young couple with three beautiful children: their oldest, Leo, is 10 years old and has autism; his younger sister, 7-year-old Kairi, is also on the autism spectrum, and their youngest, Raphaela, is 2 years old. Their mother, Jessica, and I talked about the busy lives of moms and bonded over a shared love of dancing.
Jessica told me about her son, Leo, and we discussed how he might benefit from gymnastics, which provides a sensory-rich environment and physical exercise to develop motor skills, coordination, and confidence. Leo is non-verbal and can become overstimulated in a group or classroom situation, so I invited her to our South Shore YMCA Gymnastics Training Center in Hanover to try private lessons.
As Leo worked one-to-one with a Y gymnastics coach, he began to make some headway. He engaged with the coaches, enjoyed the training, and was showing progress. And then, the family was delighted to secure a service dog for Leo -- what a change it made!
Zara, the service dog, came to the gym faithfully with Leo and remained right beside him as he worked on the equipment. If Leo started to have a difficult time, he would pause and sit next to his dog for comfort, then return to his lesson when he felt ready.
Leo’s dad, Julio, started bringing the girls to watch Leo’s lessons and they all had fun tumbling on the mats together. Inspired by her brother, Kairi began to take gymnastics classes herself and she did great.
It was so heartwarming to see the difference we made for this family and the impact they had on us in return. Our Y coaches were excited to come up with new ways to work together with the children, taking turns to implement different methods that would stimulate and encourage Leo to try new things on the equipment.
According to his mom, when Leo would go to his physical therapist for check-ups, they were thrilled with his progress and his motor ability. He could now jump off a high mat and land on his feet without falling to the ground. He could run and bounce and do something of his own that he truly excelled at, which was not the case before coming to our Y.
That’s what is so special about the Y and our gym. We are here for everyone and our mission is to meet each individual wherever they may be. Not all gyms are equipped to offer inclusive programming, and we are proud that we are able to do so. Leo and his family will always be part of our Y family.