Meet Mom Rachel Hurtado
Rachel Hurtado
Rachel, 33 lives in Colorado with her fiance Jeff McLaughlin. The two have been together for 12 years. She is currently attending National University (NU) to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst to be able to help other autism children like her son. Rachael has two kids, Brylei, 12 and Owen, 8 who has special needs. Owen was diagnosed with brain cancer at 13 months, only showing signs of an enlarged head. At age 3 he was diagnosed with autism. He also has hydrocephalus.
10 Things to Know About Rachel:
1. I eat candy when I’m stressed.
2. My guilty pleasure is watching 90 day fiancé, and eating nachos.
3. My biggest challenge is finding a way to deal with panic attacks.
4. My personal motto is “Dance on tables or sit in the corner, life is divine chaos…either way life is happening.”
5. What I have learned about myself during the pandemic is I do not handle stress well.
6. “Me time” is watching a show and decompressing.
7. 
What is working best for me right now is just breathing and taking one day at a time.
8. One thing nobody knows about me is I overthink everything.
9. I am currently binge watching 90 day fiancé and Judge Judy.
10. We love to watch movies and play outside as a family.
You May Also Like
- Early Intervention: First Steps in the Right Direction
- I Do Not like Being a Special Needs Parent and That’s OK
- Coping with the Life You Never Imagined
- Handling Your Child’s Diagnosis: Six Things Parents Should Do For Themselves
- A Complete Guide on Positive Behavior Support for Children With Special Needs
- 8 Ways to be a Great Advocate For Your Family Member With Special Needs
- How to Get Free From Unrealistic Expectations of Motherhood
- Father’s Perspective: Raising a Child with Special Needs
- Being United, Pampering, and Taking Care of Ourselves
This post originally appeared on our March/April 2022 Magazine
