A checkered flag for autism service - Bertram Rantin - TheState.com
This link will take you to the article in today's edition of THE STATE newspaper (Columbia, SC.) Please take 2 minutes to vote for autism!
Showing posts with label Lorri. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lorri. Show all posts
9/13/12
8/17/12
Happy 87th Birthday, Mom
I’m just
taking this opportunity to say “Happy Birthday” to Mom.
She turned 87 yesterday.
Mom is
Elsie Elizabeth Porth Shealy, and, please, don’t ever call her “Elise” instead
of “Elsie.” Her name is just the same as
that of the Borden cow; she even has a deck of cards with Elsie the Cow on them, thanks to nephew Ted and his wife, Cheryl.
I think Mom
has more energy than I do. She teaches
Sunday School, is active in the Lake Murray Community Club, hosts groups at her
home, and just generally stays busy. She
and her two older sisters, Jenny and Mavis, continue to play Scrabble. Mom also likes to play cards, especially a
game called Fan Tan.
She fought
the introduction of a computer into her life for a long time, but now she is an
e-mail junkie of sorts. She is totally
exasperated when her machine is on the blink.
At the age
of 80, she performed a rap number at the rehearsal dinner when my daughter
Mandy got married.
A former South Carolina “Mother of the Year”
and high-achieving sales executive, she has been the source of many hours of
laughter over the years. She’s the one
who took a flight from Columbia to Chicago for a few days of meetings, wearing
one kind of shoe on one foot and a totally different kind on the other
foot. She’s also the one who took an
early morning flight to Baltimore, leaving her car running in the airport
parking lot.
Above all,
she’s a great mom.
Happy
Birthday, Mom.
.jpg) |
| Mom with her 5 children. Left to right: Seated - Rod (deceased), Shawn. Standing - Lorri, Mom, Sherry, Christy. --------------------- |
9/10/11
Where Were You on 9/11?
Where were you on the morning of September 11, 2001? No doubt, you remember exactly, don't you?
I was driving by the Pentagon. We were leaving Arlington to return to South Carolina, after taking my six-month-old nephew, Ryan, home to his parents. We spent the night of the 10th, then got up on the 11th to drive home. We had planned to leave between 8 am and 8:30 but it was more like 8:45 when we actually left my sister’s house.
As we approached the Pentagon, I wondered aloud why there were police officers everywhere and why there were roadblocks being set up on the entrance and exit ramps. People were scrambling, rushing to close of the streets. In fact, I said that somebody important must be coming or going or doing something.
Because we were listening to an audio book, we didn’t have the radio on. Shortly, though, the cell phone rang. That's when we learned that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Immediately, we switched from listening to the book to listening to the radio.
We continued to drive south, trying to get news and trying to figure out what had happened. Soon, we learned of the second plane attack on the World Trade Center. And then the Pentagon crash. And then the news about the Pennsylvania crash.
These were hours of disbelief, shock, horror, confusion. This was more than the mind could fathom.
During some stretches along I-95, it was difficult to get clear radio signals, but we picked up bits and pieces as much as possible. It became clear that the country was under attack.
We felt helpless. Perhaps out of the helpless feeling came our desire to make a statement of sorts. We started looking for an American flag to put on the car. We were determined to show our pride in America. At the first exit, we couldn’t find an American flag to purchase. Nor could we find one at the next exit. Or the next. In fact, it took us many stops and about 200 miles to find a flag. We bought several.
As we continued the drive, people honked and waved at the flag on the car. Within days, in the aftermath of this tragedy, there were flags everywhere.
It many ways, it was a long drive home. My son lived in Arlington and worked at the Department of Justice in D.C. I couldn’t reach him by phone. I couldn't find anyone who knew where he was for about 48 hours.
It took a while, but a much shorter time, to reach my sister and brother-in-law also. I was anxious about family and friends in New York and in D.C.
As we’ve been reminded many times lately, it’s been ten years. I remember it like it was yesterday.
I was driving by the Pentagon. We were leaving Arlington to return to South Carolina, after taking my six-month-old nephew, Ryan, home to his parents. We spent the night of the 10th, then got up on the 11th to drive home. We had planned to leave between 8 am and 8:30 but it was more like 8:45 when we actually left my sister’s house.
As we approached the Pentagon, I wondered aloud why there were police officers everywhere and why there were roadblocks being set up on the entrance and exit ramps. People were scrambling, rushing to close of the streets. In fact, I said that somebody important must be coming or going or doing something.
Because we were listening to an audio book, we didn’t have the radio on. Shortly, though, the cell phone rang. That's when we learned that an airplane had crashed into the World Trade Center. Immediately, we switched from listening to the book to listening to the radio.
We continued to drive south, trying to get news and trying to figure out what had happened. Soon, we learned of the second plane attack on the World Trade Center. And then the Pentagon crash. And then the news about the Pennsylvania crash.
These were hours of disbelief, shock, horror, confusion. This was more than the mind could fathom.
During some stretches along I-95, it was difficult to get clear radio signals, but we picked up bits and pieces as much as possible. It became clear that the country was under attack.
We felt helpless. Perhaps out of the helpless feeling came our desire to make a statement of sorts. We started looking for an American flag to put on the car. We were determined to show our pride in America. At the first exit, we couldn’t find an American flag to purchase. Nor could we find one at the next exit. Or the next. In fact, it took us many stops and about 200 miles to find a flag. We bought several.It many ways, it was a long drive home. My son lived in Arlington and worked at the Department of Justice in D.C. I couldn’t reach him by phone. I couldn't find anyone who knew where he was for about 48 hours.
It took a while, but a much shorter time, to reach my sister and brother-in-law also. I was anxious about family and friends in New York and in D.C.
As we’ve been reminded many times lately, it’s been ten years. I remember it like it was yesterday.
9/6/11
So You Think YOU Had Fun on Labor Day????
If you think you had an exciting Labor Day weekend, read her account below. And if you were somewhat down because you had a boring Labor Day, read her account -- and be thankful!
So we’re trying to enjoy a little time in the backyard with the kids, who are running here, there and everywhere. After a while, we hear the doorbell ringing inside. It is a neighbor, bringing home Ryan (age 10), who was stark naked in another neighbor’s front yard, playing in the sprinklers. (We never saw him leave.)
Then we cooked steaks for dinner, which went fine until the grand flame, which set off the smoke alarm and caused the fire truck to arrive with sirens blaring and lights flashing. (The kids loved it.)
What does that have to do with this picture? Nothing, of course. The picture is Ryan locked in a friend’s BMW, where he’s been for more than an hour. We were finally able to coach him to push the unlock button; unfortunately, it has now been disabled. (Darn fancy cars.) AAA is on the way, possibly to tow the BMW and Ryan, who is wearing no pants, to the dealership to activate the lock.
How was your Labor Day weekend?
1/10/10
Women Who Make a Difference!!!
ALL women make a difference. Some make more of a difference than others and, sometimes, the difference made isn't positive, unfortunately.
Today I'm writing about one particular woman who has made a tremendous difference in a very positive way.
After church today, I went by the post office for the first time in a few days, and there was my very first issue of TOWN AND COUNTRY magazine. Even though it's only January 10th, this is the February issue, and it features Cindy Crawford on the cover.
That woman is my baby sister, and she's one of my heroes - AND she's one of four women honored by Longines in TOWN AND COUNTRY as "Women Who Make a Difference."
Here's the introduction in the magazine:
At Longines, "Elegance is an attitude." It reminds us that grace, style, and soul are the qualities that make a women elegant. Nowhere are those traits more on display than when a woman devotes herself to making a difference in someone else's life. The following four women are the epitome of elegance. They champion those less fortunate and tirelessly work to make this a better place to live.
The four who are recognized are these:
1) tennis star Stefanie Graf as the founder of of Children for Tomorrow, an organization which helps children and families who are victims of various kinds of violence; she is the Longines Ambassador of Elegance;
2) Deloris Jordan, mother of basketball great Michael Jordan, as founder of The James Jordan Foundation, which supports academic opportunities and academic excellence through several of its programs;
3) Leila de Bruyne, founder of Flying Kites, an organization which provides care for Kenyan children who have been abused, orphaned and/or abandoned; and
4) Lorri Shealy Unumb, my above-pictured hero.
And because she is, of course, my favorite honoree, I'm sharing what was published about her, for fear of doing too much gushing on my own:
Lorri Unumb is the driving force behind Ryan's Law - the single most influential piece of legislation for families living with the hardships of autism. Lorri's son Ryan was diagnosed with autism in 2003. Early in their journey, Lorri learned that insurance companies did not cover treatment for autism. Lorri, a practicing lawyer, soon began her historic battle with insurance companies and state governments to get autism treatment covered. Her first victory was in her home state of South Carolina, where insurance companies are now compelled to pay for the treatment of autism.
Lorri has played an active role in changing legislation in other states, and today 15 states have enacted their own versions of Ryan's Law. In 2008 Lorri joined Autism Speaks as its senior policy advisor and counsel, a role in which she supports and advises other activists in this worthy cause.
Lorri and the many, many volunteers she recruited worked hard for over two years to get Ryan's Law passed in South Carolina. Then, when it was finally passed, Governor Mark Sanford vetoed it! Once again, Lorri and troops rallied; the House of Representatives voted unanimously to override the governor's veto!! As of former state legislator, I know that it is very unusual for a legislature to do much of anything unanimously and almost unheard of for a legislative body to override a governor's veto unanimously.
During this same time period, she was voted "Professor of the Year" by the student bar association at the Charleston School of Law and was honored with the Jefferson Award by The Post and Courier, Charleston's daily newspaper. All the while, she was traveling to other states to help with legislative efforts in those places AND she and Dan added to the family with Christopher and then Jonathan.
If you ask me, Lorri should have been on the cover instead of - or along with - Cindy Crawford!
I used to take care of Ryan a lot. This collage shows several pictures of us together. The second photo is a close-up of Ryan a few years ago; the third is about two years ago at Jonathan's baptism, then one of Lorri and Ryan, followed by shots from the Autism Walk in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Today I'm writing about one particular woman who has made a tremendous difference in a very positive way.
After church today, I went by the post office for the first time in a few days, and there was my very first issue of TOWN AND COUNTRY magazine. Even though it's only January 10th, this is the February issue, and it features Cindy Crawford on the cover.
I quickly flipped through the pages, because I knew this issue was paying tribute to specific women who have had an extremely positive impact on others. Finally, I found what I was looking for on page 44:
That woman is my baby sister, and she's one of my heroes - AND she's one of four women honored by Longines in TOWN AND COUNTRY as "Women Who Make a Difference."
Here's the introduction in the magazine:
At Longines, "Elegance is an attitude." It reminds us that grace, style, and soul are the qualities that make a women elegant. Nowhere are those traits more on display than when a woman devotes herself to making a difference in someone else's life. The following four women are the epitome of elegance. They champion those less fortunate and tirelessly work to make this a better place to live.
The four who are recognized are these:
1) tennis star Stefanie Graf as the founder of of Children for Tomorrow, an organization which helps children and families who are victims of various kinds of violence; she is the Longines Ambassador of Elegance;
2) Deloris Jordan, mother of basketball great Michael Jordan, as founder of The James Jordan Foundation, which supports academic opportunities and academic excellence through several of its programs;
3) Leila de Bruyne, founder of Flying Kites, an organization which provides care for Kenyan children who have been abused, orphaned and/or abandoned; and
4) Lorri Shealy Unumb, my above-pictured hero.
And because she is, of course, my favorite honoree, I'm sharing what was published about her, for fear of doing too much gushing on my own:
Lorri Unumb is the driving force behind Ryan's Law - the single most influential piece of legislation for families living with the hardships of autism. Lorri's son Ryan was diagnosed with autism in 2003. Early in their journey, Lorri learned that insurance companies did not cover treatment for autism. Lorri, a practicing lawyer, soon began her historic battle with insurance companies and state governments to get autism treatment covered. Her first victory was in her home state of South Carolina, where insurance companies are now compelled to pay for the treatment of autism.
Lorri has played an active role in changing legislation in other states, and today 15 states have enacted their own versions of Ryan's Law. In 2008 Lorri joined Autism Speaks as its senior policy advisor and counsel, a role in which she supports and advises other activists in this worthy cause.
Lorri and the many, many volunteers she recruited worked hard for over two years to get Ryan's Law passed in South Carolina. Then, when it was finally passed, Governor Mark Sanford vetoed it! Once again, Lorri and troops rallied; the House of Representatives voted unanimously to override the governor's veto!! As of former state legislator, I know that it is very unusual for a legislature to do much of anything unanimously and almost unheard of for a legislative body to override a governor's veto unanimously.
During this same time period, she was voted "Professor of the Year" by the student bar association at the Charleston School of Law and was honored with the Jefferson Award by The Post and Courier, Charleston's daily newspaper. All the while, she was traveling to other states to help with legislative efforts in those places AND she and Dan added to the family with Christopher and then Jonathan.
If you ask me, Lorri should have been on the cover instead of - or along with - Cindy Crawford!
I used to take care of Ryan a lot. This collage shows several pictures of us together. The second photo is a close-up of Ryan a few years ago; the third is about two years ago at Jonathan's baptism, then one of Lorri and Ryan, followed by shots from the Autism Walk in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Visit http://www.autismspeaks.org/ for more information about autism.
` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
11/26/09
I Am SO Thankful: For These and So Much More!
I am thankful. Not just today but every day.
For three fantastic children who are wonderful adults - Tiffany, Tree and Mandy shown here just after Mandy's marriage to Adam.
For a fabulous mom and for memories of a fabulous dad.
For two sisters (Christy & Lorri) and two brothers (Rod & Shawn) I wouldn’t trade for anything (most days.)
For a great son-in-law, Adam Brantley.
For an adorable grandson, Harrison Cothran Brantley.
For remarkable friends, both old and new.
For a warm and caring church family.
For 60 good years of life.
For God-given talents and abilities.
For health.
For a wonderful extended family.
For a sense of humor.
For our military who serve us.
For law enforcement and firefighters who protect us.
For educators who touch and help shape the future.
For the power of prayer and faith.For the freedoms we enjoy in our country and for the hope those freedoms will be around for a long time.
For volunteers who give so much of themselves in so many ways.
For the beauty of nature - colorful rainbows, glorious sunshine, majestic mountains, rolling oceans, chirping birds, laughing children, refreshing rain, seasonal changes and so much more.
And, this year in particular, I am thankful for the time I had with Carroll a/k/a “The Dawg.”
As odd as it may sound and as much as I would like for him to still be here with me, I am thankful for the way in which he left us – a peaceful death; opportunities to say good-bye to family and friends; no lingering, on-going suffering. I am thankful I was with him and in his arms as he took his last breath. What a blessing!
May you enjoy counting your blessings today - and every day!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
8/17/09
"Camping" and Happy 84th
Most of our family went camping last weekend.
Now, I’m using the word “camping” very lightly and extremely loosely.
So, sorry, all you outdoors-people, but using the word “camping” extremely loosely is the only way I want to use it.
So, sorry, all you outdoors-people, but using the word “camping” extremely loosely is the only way I want to use it.
We spent a weekend at Hickory Knob State Park near McCormick to celebrate Mom’s 84th birthday. Since we were all relatively close to our respective homes, it’s what is similar to a stay-cation ‘cause we stayed in South Carolina – all 25 of us, ranging in age from 84 to 16 months.
There was a campground at Hickory Knob, or at least that’s according to the brochures and signs, but our idea of “camping” was to stay in cabins. Electricity, refrigerators, stoves, beds, chairs, air conditioning, showers, indoor plumbing.
And did I mention air conditioning? Yes, I know I did. That was a priority for me.
You get the picture. That’s as close to roughing it as I want to do. The cabins even had televisions with remotes but they were used very little. Better yet, there was free internet access. Now that’s my kind of camping!
Brother Shawn brought his boat and lots of family members skied. Others were content riding in the boat or lounging at the pool. The park has horseshoes, pool tables, checkerboards, a grand piano, skeet shooting, golfing and more.
We had other necessities of life with us: Rod and Dan brought their guitars and we sat around singing while eating Glenn’s cooking. You just can’t beat food and music!
It was a nice weekend, and, on top of all that, what snoring Mom did was hardly noticeable!
Who could ask for anything more?
Who could ask for anything more?
8/7/09
Don't Ever Tell Him What It Means!
It's precocious Christopher again.
He's in pre-school, almost a kindergartner. This week his mom (my sister) got the following note from school:
Hey there,
I am cooking this week while Hazel is on vacation and have been told that Christopher is a vegetarian. Is this absolute or should I give him a hamburger rather than a boiled egg or cheese?
Thanks.
I am cooking this week while Hazel is on vacation and have been told that Christopher is a vegetarian. Is this absolute or should I give him a hamburger rather than a boiled egg or cheese?
Thanks.
After reading this, I e-mailed my sister to ask when Christopher became a vegetarian. Here is her response:
He is a self-proclaimed vegetarian, which he obviously did not get from his highly carnivorous parents.
I have no idea what led him to decide that he’s a vegetarian; I never even said the word to him. I guess that’s what happens when you attend a multi-cultural preschool, which Trinity tends to be. Please do not ever mention to him that chicken nuggets and hot dogs are meat!
5/2/09
Photo Hunt: WALKING
The theme for this week's Photo Hunt in blogland is WALKING.
Have you ever seen a cow walking upright? Here's one.
Okay, so he's the Chick-fil-A cow, not a real cow.
Someone has been walking in the sand on the beach.
One person walking was The Dawg, but I don't think those are his footprints.
Humans aren't the only ones walking on the beach.
Members of our church choir are walking in the Palm Sunday procession.
Family members participated in the Autism Awareness Walk last fall. Here (standing - just before walking) are Mandy, Lorri, Tree, Mom, Lisa and Nancy.
Lots of people from South Carolina and North Carolina were walking for autism awareness.
Have you ever seen a cow walking upright? Here's one.
Okay, so he's the Chick-fil-A cow, not a real cow.Someone has been walking in the sand on the beach.
One person walking was The Dawg, but I don't think those are his footprints.
Humans aren't the only ones walking on the beach.
Members of our church choir are walking in the Palm Sunday procession.
Family members participated in the Autism Awareness Walk last fall. Here (standing - just before walking) are Mandy, Lorri, Tree, Mom, Lisa and Nancy.
Lots of people from South Carolina and North Carolina were walking for autism awareness.
2/28/09
Photo Hunt: Thankful -- for "F" Words?
The word for this week's Photo Hunt in blogland is "thankful."
I am thankful for much, but especially for the "F" words: Family, Friends and Faith.
Most of the family, Christmas 2008.
Mandy, Adam, Tree & Tiffany - on vacation.
(two daughters, one son, one son-in-law.)
More pictures of family and friends at the bottom of the blog page in a slideshow.
Click here to find more participants in Photo Hunt.
2/4/09
Wordless Wednesday: Eat More Chicken
Here's part of the family at a promotion for Chick-fil-A. Each year, there's one special day -- perhaps it's called "Cow Day"???? -- when you get free Chick-fil-A food if you dress up like a cow. Our whole family got free meals -- and we had loads of fun.
In front on left with green balloon is nephew Christopher; right is Mom.
Back, left to right: sister-in-law Pat, sister Lorri, nephew Ryan, me, brother-in-law Dan.
In front on left with green balloon is nephew Christopher; right is Mom.
Back, left to right: sister-in-law Pat, sister Lorri, nephew Ryan, me, brother-in-law Dan.
11/7/08
What an Excuse! It Almost Hurts!
I have two brothers and two sisters. The five of us are sorta spread out age-wise. I’m 59; Rod is 54; Christy, 52; Shawn, 42; and Lorri, 40. Yep, that’s a stretch of almost 20 years – all from the same two parents.
Mom and Dad moved from South Carolina to Tennessee when Shawn and Lorri were entering the third and first grades, respectively. The older three of us were pretty much on our own by then, so we were not part of the move.
Mom and Dad moved from South Carolina to Tennessee when Shawn and Lorri were entering the third and first grades, respectively. The older three of us were pretty much on our own by then, so we were not part of the move.
One time, when Mom and Dad had to go out of town for a convention, Rod went up to Knoxville to take care of Shawn and Lorri. That was a mistake - a BIG mistake.All three overslept on a school morning. When they woke up and rushed around getting ready for school, Shawn was insistent that he needed a note for his teacher. He simply had to have an explanation so that he wouldn’t get in trouble.
So, big brother, Rod, wrote a note, folded it, and gave it to Shawn. Shawn was satisfied, happy to get this written excuse for his teacher; he didn’t read the note – obviously.
When he got to school and handed the note to his teacher, she started laughing.
Rod had written: “Please excuse Shawn for being late to school. He got a banana stuck in his nose and couldn’t get it out.”
Rod, Lorri, Mom, Sherry, Christy, Shawn
When he got to school and handed the note to his teacher, she started laughing.
Rod had written: “Please excuse Shawn for being late to school. He got a banana stuck in his nose and couldn’t get it out.”
Rod, Lorri, Mom, Sherry, Christy, Shawn
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