I have had a brother for nine years and they have been the most challenging years I think I will ever face.

I am very grateful that I have had a chance to grow up in a family with a disabled child.  The experiences have made me more sensitive and I can now be more caring and considerate than I ever could have before.  I think that life is very cruel to hand out these hurdles for small children to battle.

Sometimes I see other kids teasing or talking about Zachary at school.  I don’t like it and just wish that I could take his sickness from him.  He will struggle when he is older and shrugging it of will no longer be an option.  I just hope that the kids in Zachary’s class can also be better people for knowing him.

When I was small and we went out with Zachary I never felt ashamed or embarrassed, just proud.  Zachary is the biggest miracle that has ever, or will ever bless our family and I am thankful for him.

Our struggles as a family only ever make us stronger and we are, and always will love our Zachary.

By Holly (12 years old)  big sister to Zachary