THE SOUND OF WHISPERS
At the tender age of two, Gaby's parents, Dany and Natalie, faced a perplexing challenge. Their young child appeared deaf and disoriented when spoken to. Fueled by alarm, they embarked on a quest for medical answers, which unveiled a life-altering revelation: Gaby had autism. This diagnosis marked the inception of a profound transformation in the Desmeules family's journey. Tragically, three years later, they confronted an even more devastating blow - the loss of their third child, Mikael, to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, when he was just four months old.
Fast forward to the present, Gaby is now a nonverbal autistic young adult. He used to attend the Centre Champagnat in Montreal, where he received invaluable one-to-one assistance. However, the family faces a daunting challenge ahead. Due to budget cuts imposed by the Quebec government, 2016 was Gaby's last school year at the Centre Champagnat. Since the summer of 2017, the Desmeules family has been responsible for Gaby's full-time care.
Despite facing numerous challenges and enduring hardships, the Desmeules family is steadfastly dedicated to one profound goal: ensuring Gaby's future stability and fulfillment. It is a reality often overlooked by society - children with disabilities, like Gaby, inevitably become adults who rely solely on their parents or other family members, for as long as those caregivers are able and available.