Down, But Not Out
January 10, 1976 - The weather
was sunny, with a touch of spring in the air. I was
thirty-eight years old and having my first baby. At
4:32 p.m., Kevin Anthony Harrell entered our world.
Life would never be the same.
By Jane Harrell with Martin & Naomi
Fanett
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Kevin with golf partner Mike Shipman.
Photo courtesy of Jane Harrell |
Kevin weighed 6 lbs. 8 oz. – small by today’s
standards, but his strong lungs announced his
arrival. He looked like my husband; all was well.
Kevin went to the nursery and I to a room. I was
dozing when our pediatrician woke me. “Are you Mrs.
Harrell? Your son is a Down Syndrome baby. I suggest
you pray and not take the baby home. Place him in an
institution.” He left; I was alone. I felt abandoned
and hopeless.
Down Syndrome is a genetic defect, and it occurs
when the first cell division takes place. It may or
may not be a result of heredity. Sometimes an
accident happens in the first cell division;
some-times there is a history of mental retardation.
Blood tests can be done to determine the cause.
The word of Kevin’s birth – and condition –
spread quickly. People called to express interest
and enthusiasm. Some offered sympathy as though
Kevin had died. All had advice. The most helpful
person said, “Work as hard as you can to make him
normal.”
There is no doubt that prayer played a huge role
in our life with Kevin. A friend from West Virginia
calls Kevin her little altar boy, saying that each
time the sun shines on his head, someone prays for
him. In Texas, that’s surely a lot of prayer!
In Kevin’s early years, we tried innovative
learning experiences. We put him in a big box of
Styrofoam peanuts and made him work his way out! We
also gagged him with a tongue depressor so that he
would develop a normal gag reflex. We put peanut
butter in the roof of his mouth to minimize the
“tongue thrust” that is typical of many people with
Down Syndrome. He was a part of a program sponsored
by Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of
Harris County (MHMRA) called Infant Parent
Stimulation where he was taught the normal
developmental skills – tracking, stacking, and
turning to a sound. We were hands-on-parents,
determined to see Kevin develop as close to normal
as possible.
At age two, he entered school in a program called
Early Childhood Development. The program is like
pre-kindergarten. Kevin’s formal education was in
Klein Schools. He was blessed with many wonderful
teachers. They gifted him with knowledge far beyond
their expectations. Kevin was in Basic English
classes. On a trip to Amsterdam, we arrived at the
airport and to our surprise Kevin said, “I want to
go to the Ann Frank House.” We went. I walked with
him as he examined the attic. He turned to me and
said, “Mom, I touched the walls. I looked out Ann
Frank’s window. I saw what she saw.” He had made the
connection between the play he read in English with
the actual home! Recently the movie Narnia was shown
at our local theater. Kevin said, “Mom, that’s the
book I read: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”
I was so excited that he was bringing his school
studies into his personal life.
The forum where he has progressed the most is the
global stage provided by Special Olympics. After
more than twenty years of involvement, we find the
friendship, programs and activities to be incredibly
positive and helpful. Kevin is a Global Messenger, a
person who has had training provided by Special
Olympics. Trained speakers give athletes instruction
on the rules of speech writing and effective
presentation. Kevin has spoken to school groups to
explain the Special Olympics program and referee
meetings to ask for their help in calling basketball
games. He has been chosen to give the “Thank You”
message to all sponsors and participants at the Bob
Allen Golf Tournament. This program has done much to
bolster his confidence and poise before large
groups.
Another area of Special Olympics that Kevin loves
is golf. Kevin’s idol is Tiger Woods. He is always
quick to tell you that they are the same age. Kevin,
not a Tiger, but a good golfer, has played in the
Bob Allen Golf Tournament which benefits Special
Olympics and the Chris Newton Memorial Tournament.
Golf started at Treeline Golf Club with a friendship
with pro Larry Want. Kevin became Larry’s assistant,
running errands and setting up the balls for golf
lessons. Golf then led to a job as a cart boy at
Northgate Country Club where Kevin drives and washes
carts, and works on the driving range. Patience has
been the word “fore” his job there.
In addition to his Northgate job, Kevin works two
other places. He has been a sacker at Randall’s
Grocery Store for 12 years. His biggest thrill has
been receiving a twenty-dollar tip at Christmas.
Times have not always been easy. The first summer he
worked for the grocery chain, in an attempt to get
the attention of a checker, he threw a head of
lettuce at her. Instead of firing him, the store
manager worked with Kevin to help him understand the
proper way to communicate with co-workers. They were
very supportive. Kevin’s third job is at Plants for
All Seasons. As “plant pruner” he has learned much
of the fine art of plant cultivation. His patience
in this activity allows him to prune and sculpt the
plants to perfection, whereas most of the other
workers see this as a job to be rushed through.
Kevin does his most artistic trimming with his
favorite, the “Hibiscuits.”
Kevin will be going to Ames, Iowa, this summer as
a part of Team Texas. Special Olympics is having the
first National Special Olympic Games. He will be
partnered with Mike Shipman, his golfing mentor of
eight years. They have won many medals at various
tournaments, some of them gold. One of these special
golden moments occurred in 2004 when Kevin and Mike
had the best golf score at the Texas State Fall
Festival in Waco. They have also attended the
National Special Golf competition in Port St. Luci,
Florida. They make a great team.
Kevin enjoys all sports, both as a participant
and observer. When you say “down” to Kevin, he
thinks of a football game, not a medical term for
his handicap. As parents, we rejoice that he has
escaped any limiting labels. He certainly is Down,
but definitely not out!
For more information on Down Syndrome and
available activities contact:
General REACH (281) 464-8058
The ARC of Greater Houston (713) 645-4777
Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority of
Harris County (713) 970-7000
Sports (and much more)
Special Olympics (713) 290-0049
Residential
Brookwood Community (281) 375-2100 or (281) 375-2400
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