Families Matter Stories
Welcome to our Families Matter stories! Told mostly through video, they will introduce you to children and young adults who are deafblind and their families. As you get to know them, you will discover how individuals who are deafblind learn, develop, and live their lives.
Meet Paul Uribe
Paul, age six, lives in California with his parents. He has combined vision and hearing loss due to CHARGE syndrome. His parents have made it a priority to connect with other families through the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation, their state deafblind project, and social media.
Meet Ava Bullis as She Transitions to a New School
Ava lives in New Jersey and has combined vision and hearing loss due to Usher syndrome. Her family recently moved to a new town, and she changed schools at the beginning of fifth grade. Parents, administrators, and teachers worked together to make the transition as smooth as possible, and she's thriving in her new school.
Meet Liam Kenrick
Liam, age seven, lives with his family in South Dakota. He became deafblind due to meningitis at age 2½ and communicates using American Sign Language. He is also a braille reader. His mom, Sandy, has found many creative ways to make home, school, and community as accessible as possible to him.
Meet Soliz and Camila Magdelano
Soliz, age eight, and Camila, age seven, live in Phoenix, Arizona with their mom (Heather Joy), dad (André), and dog (Sammy). Their family loves to travel and recently went on a camping trip to Malibu, where the children were immersed in nature and sensory experiences.
Meet Jake
Jake is 22 years old and just graduated from high school. He currently lives with his mom (Dee), dad (Ernie), and brothers, Connor and Patrick, in Lawrence, Kansas.