Thank you so much for allowing Ethan and Sydney and their friends to participate in Dance Marathon once again. It truly is the highlight of Ethan's year. He talks about it all year and deems himself as "College Famous.” As a mother, I am always so proud to watch all of you raise so much money -- you truly are making a difference and a movement. I am also so proud of each of you and how you interact with my son. He loves meeting everyone, showing off his infamous dance moves and getting to know everyone. More than any other day of the year, I see so much emotion in him, so much happiness, excitement and pure joy for life. Your Dance Marathon and the students that choose to dance and hang with him every year, make such an impact in his life. He wants to go to San Diego State, be an emcee at DM and help you all raise money. You truly make a difference to and for him. 

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Ethan had a rough start to life. He was a colicky baby, always sick with some type of respiratory and sinus infections, struggled with eczema and asthma (he was on 4 times an adult dose, taking it 5 times a day for years). He also struggled emotionally as well.  We chose to take him to Rady Children’s Hospital Developmental Services because he had so much anxiety. He would never leave my side, always scared and terrified of the world around him.  He hated change and the thought of anything unknown or foreign. He refused to touch many of life's pleasure's including play dough and sand. Rather than play with toys like a "normal" child, he would stack and line up his cars and bricks over and over again. He also had a love for puzzles, which would calm him, and could put together 100 piece puzzles by age 4! He would melt down and cry at birthday parties, or situations unfamiliar to him, including his own when he once hid in a corner and spent the entire party doing puzzles because he was so overwhelmed. The Rady Children's Developmental Services program helped us to understand him and helped him to understand himself and develop coping skills and gave him the ability to learn to touch and play like most children. 

 

Today, you would never know that the rambunctious, not at all shy, people-loving 10 year old that he is ever struggled. He is completely in the zone and in his element when he is with each of you dancing the night away. Thank you for always allowing him to participate and making him feel so special and welcome.

 

You will all always have a special place in our hearts.