Kelsey Shares a Proud Moment
My hero is my daughter, Kelsey Norris, age 13. Kelsey is on the autism spectrum – Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) and has Rubenstein-Taybi Syndrome. She is currently being educated in a self-contained, special education classroom. Kelsey has recently been named as Georgia’s top middle school volunteer by the National Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. This is a link to a Youtube video about her life and accomplishments: https://youtu.be/5RhY-yKpcs0Kelsey [1]
Norris was found in a Russian orphanage when she was 11 months old; she weighed less than 14 pounds. Alone, sick, starving and emaciated, her head had been shaved due to lice. She was dressed in rags and had never worn a diaper. The doctors did not know if she would ever walk or talk.
Because of her experience in life, she has a special interest in helping children (and others) who are in difficult situations. When she was six, she started visiting schools and early childhood centers to read to the students and share her life story. At this early age, she realized that she liked interacting with people and helping them.
During the last couple of years, she has provided over 1,000 volunteer hours and raised more than $20,000 for a wide variety of causes aiding children and others in difficult situations. Kelsey has collected over 1,500 cans and boxes of food to feed students in need on weekends. In addition, she has gathered more than 4,500 pounds of dog food for a Humane Society facility. She is currently serving as the local coordinator of a program that provides bags of hygiene and other personal items to displaced children. She is also a “special needs ambassador” and advocate for a group working to expand healthcare access in several rural counties.
~ Carol Norris (Proud Mom)
Share a Proud Moment with us Next Issue!
Proud Moments can be any time that you have been extremely proud of your child with special needs. It can be when they are giving it their all or reaching a milestone. We share Triumphs every Tuesday on Facebook or send via email to [email protected]