I’m sure folks wonder… how did ‘Riding by Christmas Lights’ become an anthem for the special needs community and caregivers in particular?
Well, It all started in January of 2000 when Dawson contracted meningitis through an ear infection and suffered a traumatic brain injury. Doctors were not sure he would be able to eat, walk or have quality of life. The next 25 years were filled with prayer, medical appointments, therapies, research and a lot of anxiety. Thankfully Dawson was able to fight through all of those milestones but there were many nights that Dawson’s mom Brandi couldn’t sleep wondering what was gonna happen to Dawson when we pass.
Fast forward to the summer of 2015 when Dawson got his golf cart. I would take him riding each night listening to music, he really enjoyed it. This gave his mom a few minutes, sometimes hour of time to rest, have some peace and regroup and it soothed Dawson’s high anxiety as well. Christmas came and I wrote the song as we went Riding by Christmas Lights. Two years later in November of 2017 the song finally came to pass. I asked Brandi what she wanted for Christmas. She told me that she would like to know that when we pass Dawson would be taken care of, that we would have a plan. She shared how she would like to have a community like Mayberry for ourselves and Dawson. So I set out to make it come to pass. See our Mission.
Being a special-needs parent or caregiver is a very stressful thing. The world as they know it is not like what a lot of people experience in their life, its a road less traveled. When they can get their loved one out of the house, in a nice warm car with their favorite drink, snack, blanket and favorite Christmas music and go ride around looking at Christmas lights. It’s a very comforting time for everyone. A time when everyone can relax and be at peace.
So each year during Christmas in July and then starting November 1st I work on Riding by Christmas lights and it reminds me of the need to build a community for special needs parents and caregivers to be able to transition their adult with disability to 24 seven assistive care.
