The Silent Son. Ken Atkins

      FOREWORD

      The lives of our precious children are under siege. Statistics may vary slightly, depending on the source, but the message is the same: the incidence of childhood disability is drastically on the rise. If your life hasn’t been impacted by this sad trend, it most likely will be at some point.

      How do you cope, find encouragement and persevere under the greatest of challenges?

      Being a pediatric physical therapist for 38 years, having a son born with an amputation of his left hand, and a great nephew who is in a wheelchair following a severe brain injury, I have experienced this world up close and personal. I have seen firsthand the struggles and the blessings of raising a child with special needs. I have witnessed my own son become a concert pianist with only one hand. I have seen a child whose parents were told he would never walk, take his first steps at the age of 7, to a room full of joyful tears. I have seen babies born with no connection between the hemispheres of the brain develop completely normally and live full, college bound lives. However, I have also cried with families grieving the loss of their child or mourning the loss of what could have and should have been.

      Is this road easy? No. Is it rewarding? My experience says resoundingly, YES!

      When Ken asked me to read an account of his journey, I was honored. Little did I realize how deeply it would impact me. Ken so masterfully takes us through the patchwork of heartaches and weaves a tapestry of triumph. It is a testimony to the indomitable spirit that lies within us all. No matter our struggle or our circumstances, always remember … But God!

      The Silent Son is an amazingly honest window into the “beautifully messy” world of parenting a child with special needs. Ken’s experiences, meshed with his wit and wisdom, make this a read that is hard to put down. The heartache and the joy are palpable. I found myself crying one minute and laughing the next, which I believe to be a true reflection of the journey.

      In the book, Ken states, “I never cease to be amazed at how God uses people from our past to answer our prayers, bringing them back into our lives at the moment when we have given up hope.” Similarly, I met Ken years ago, as a student in his early teaching days. Ironically (but God), our paths crossed again years later, as I became his son Danny’s physical therapist for a season. Now, years later, we find ourselves together again, to celebrate the goodness of God.

      I implore all parents, all professionals, and literally all people to read this book. You will be encouraged, educated, and experience true eucharistia (thanksgiving). Ken, thank you. God is honored, as are “the least of these.”

      Sheri Huling, PT