07/06/2026
This is our family: my wife Ruth, my wife of 22 years, myself, and our 28-year-old son, Michael, who is autistic.
When Michael was 5 years old, his biological mother filed for divorce because of the challenges surrounding his condition. In the end, she left both Michael and me, and we have not heard from her or received any support since 2006.
At that time, Michael did not yet have a diagnosis. We only knew that he was behind developmentally and had significant behavioral challenges. The divorce was financially devastating. I lost our home, my business, and thousands of dollars while fighting for Michael’s well-being.
Then Ruth came into our lives and helped raise Michael from the time he was 5 years old. It was not always easy, and we faced many challenges, but we stayed consistent, patient, and committed.
Today, Michael is a fine young man. We now live down the shore in South Jersey, and Michael just received his driver’s license.
We are so proud of how far he has come.
