All of my life, I have had the joy and privilege of having friends and working with individuals who have been both blessed and challenged by physical/mental disabilities. My appreciation for those with special needs was developed early on by my Mother, who minored in and taught Special Ed in school, and then also by my childhood friend who has Downs Syndrome and another dear friend I grew up with who was severely crippled in a car accident. In 2006, I pursued training to become a Habilitation Technician in Charlotte, NC and began my professional career as a respite care provider and one-on-one worker with disabled individuals.