Heart for the Disabled Follow-Up

Today, this big basket of Valentines, notes, and gift cards was hand-delivered by our Joni and Friends team in Charlotte to Calvin and his special-needs family! After Calvin’s wife passed away in 2012, he set about raising their two sons, Joshua, 14, and Jonathan, 12, who has severe autism. Jonathan is non-verbal, and is a runner. Calvin has to work out to be able to keep up with his 12-year-old. As soon as Jonathan sees an open door, he’s gone (which can be very dangerous)! Since Jonathan does not understand complex commands, he needs physical boundaries – he sleeps in the same room with his dad, and to make sure that Jonathan stays safe, Calvin sleeps with his bed against the door, along with bells on the door handle to sound an alarm if Jonathan tries to open it. If you’d like to learn more about Calvin and his boys, just listen to his story on our “Joni and Friends” radio program. And for all of you who wrote Valentines to this family (and other Heart for the Disabled recipients), thank you!