It was 2007 and I was working at a facility for children with varying physical and mental disabilities.  As an Early Interventionist, I made connections with many beautiful and amazing children.  There was one little boy, in particular, that made the biggest impact on me.  That little boy was Kai.  Angelic faced with blonde hair, blue eyes and a smile that could melt Arctic waters, Kai brought an extra dose of happiness to each of my work days.  Analogous to a ray of sunshine, Kai radiated warmth, love and light to those around him at the facility.

Kai was born with brain damage as a result of a fetal/maternal hemmorage that left him with less than half of his blood volume.  He was not expected to live and if he did, doctors did not give him much hope.  The prognosis was grim.  If Kai did survive past birth, he was not expected to come off the ventilator.  Kai’s mother, Kristie Jo Redfering, along with a team of doctors, embraced the harsh reality of a worst case scenario.  Kai, however, had other plans.  Not only did he survive past birth, but he successfully was able to be taken off a ventilator.  And when doctors informed Kristie Jo that Kai most likely would have to depend on a feeding tube for all his future meals, the miracle baby proved everyone wrong once again.  “Whatever he wasn’t expected to do, he did,” smiles Kai’s mother.

Making great and very unexpected progress, Kai continued to push on, surprising many along the way.  He has since been diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a seizure disorder and Klinefelter syndrome, a genetic disorder unrelated to cerebral palsy.  In addition, Kai has hemiplegia, which is a condition where there is paralysis vertically on half of the body.  For Kai, hemiplegia affects his right side.  “Kai doesn’t use his right arm, has limited use of his right leg, cortical blindness in the right field of vision in both eyes,  and has tone and sensory issues largely on the right side,” explains Kristie Jo.

Despite these challenges, Kai continues to make strides and today is cognitively and physically capable of activities and tasks once never imagined possible for him.  Currently attending New Heights Elementary School (the same school where Kristie Jo is a teacher) in St. Petersburg, Kai is now participating in toy play and games.  His receptive language has grown.  He loves music, dancing, animals and books.  In addition, Kai is making physical advancements.  He is commando crawling by pulling himself up and along with his left arm.  And, according to Kristie Jo, eight months ago Kai began eating solids, giving up the pureed meals he depended on for so long.

In the summer of 2010, Kristie Jo enrolled Kai in an intensive therapy program called TheraSuit.  The program lasts a total of three weeks at three hours a day and five days a week.  And though these sessions may sound challenging, they promote great success for a child like Kai.  Kristie Jo has hopes of placing Kai back into the TheraSuit program this coming summer.  “I want to get him back into TheraSuit over the summer so he can be as independent as possible,” states Kristie Jo.  Unfortunately, there is one major obstacle going against Kai getting into TheraSuit.  It is costly.  By June 1st, over $3,000 needs to be raised or Kai will not be able to attend the therapy sessions he needs in order to progress further.

Kristie Jo knows better than anyone though that even the biggest challenges can be overcome.  In order to reach her goal of $3,375, she is hosting a car wash on April 9th, a beach bash benefit on May 7th, and is also working with artist, Karen Rust, on making glass pendants for Kai’s cause.  Support, both financially and emotionally, is essential for Kai’s therapy goals.

For me, it was a great honor having worked with Kai as both his teacher and therapist.  He is an inspiration to anyone facing a challenge.  As an educator himself, Kai teaches us how to find strength, courage and hope.  Although he is only four and a half years old, we can all learn from someone like Kai.  He possesses many special and magical qualities, some which are far beyond his tender age.  There was never a day where I would walk into my classroom and not see a smile on Kai’s face.  This is a  boy who loves everyone he meets.  A boy who adores his older sister, JoLee.  A boy that sees his world as a happy place.  Yes, I do believe we all could learn a thing or two from this little person.

As I think about Kai, I remember back to a very cloudy day here in St. Petersburg a few years ago.  Overcast and dreary, with rain beginning to softly drizzle outside, I stood in my classroom looking out the window and waiting for my “students” to arrive.  Suddenly, through the dark morning skies, a little ray of sunshine unexpectedly found its way through the windowpane, illuminating the rug underneath my feet.  I turned around, and there was Kai, nestled snuggly in his mother’s arms… smiling.

If you would like to help raise money for Kai’s summer therapy, see below:

Car Wash

Time/Date:  Saturday, April 9th, from 10 am til 2 pm

Location:  Hess Station at 66th Street and 30 Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL

Details:  Come have your car washed by some great folks for a good cause

Beach Bash

Time/Date:  Saturday, May 7th at 2 pm

Location:  808 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach, FL

Details:  $20 donation

Food, drinks, silent auction, raffle, volleyball, music and plenty of fun for all

Glass Pendants

Details:  Artist Karen Rust from Camano Island, Washington has created pendants for Kai’s cause.  They are $25 and come in various colors.  You may add a name or word to each pendant.  100% of the proceeds will go towards Kai’s therapy.  Orders will be taken til May 20th.  See below for further information on how to order, or go to www.wix.com/kredfering/Names-for-Kai .  Kristie Jo will also be handling orders for pendants at therasuitforkai@hotmail.com.

For more information on Kai’s cause, TheraSuit, and how to donate, please go to www.CashforKai.com.