Double Your Donation for Eric! Today, in celebration of the mothers of Mountain Shadows, we share the story of MJ Hammill, and her son, Eric – a story of enduring love. All this month, we are honoring our Mountain Shadows mothers.
And thanks to Portia Bibb’s generous pledge to match up to $10,000, your donation to the Mountain Shadows Foundation will be doubled!
Please click here to have your donation DOUBLED today. |
by Sheryl Wilde
Did you have a special toy as a child? A toy that could be a friend when you were lonely and no one else was there? A toy you could cling to when you were scared? A toy that brought you comfort when you were hurting? A toy you could share your deepest dreams and darkest fears with? Mountain Shadows resident, Eric, has such a toy. It goes to bed with him every night when he sleeps.
Eric carries a bag on the back of his wheelchair. And in that bag, he carries everything in his life that matters most to him. Every morning, as soon as he wakes up and gets in his wheelchair, Eric makes sure that his favorite toy, a Shamu plush toy, is in that bag. He wants to be sure Shamu is always with him. Says Jasmine Mathouchanh, Mountain Shadows – San Diego, “Sometimes Eric will tell all of us in the house to be quiet because Shamu is sleeping. It’s so adorable!”
“Eric loves animals more than anything,” says Daniel Enciso, QIDP/A,
MSCH – San Diego. “And he just loves Sea World. He has an annual pass, and his favorite pastime is watching videos of Sea World.
“He went to Sea World recently and he was crying the whole time, out of happiness, because he just absolutely loves it there.”
Adds Jasmine, “At Sea World, it was great watching the parade together. I love to see Eric’s reactions, his smile, his excitement. He starts to scream and clap, and he blows kisses to everyone. It’s really fun.” |
“One of Eric’s favorite movies is Free Willy,” says MJ Hammill, Eric’s mother. “He loves the part where Willy jumps over the wall and is free.”
Eric, an eleven-year resident of Tangelo house, has cerebral palsy and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), a seizure disorder. LGS causes multiple types of seizures, such as tonic (stiffening), atonic (drop attacks), atypical absence (staring spells), myoclonic (sudden jerks), and generalized tonic-clonic (convulsive). Seizures often happen frequently, sometimes several times a day, and may occur in clusters or status epilepticus (prolonged or repeated seizures).
People with LGS often have cognitive impairment, developmental delay, and behavioral problems. These may include learning difficulties, communication problems, hyperactivity, aggression, autism, and mood disorders. These problems may worsen over time as the seizures continue and damage the brain.
“When we learned Eric had these issues, it was very difficult,” adds MJ. “My husband, Don, and I, had waited eight years to have a child. It felt like a loss. We were losing the child we thought we were going to have.” |
“I remember looking at people that had kids that were ‘normal’, whatever normal is,” continues MJ. “My brother and his wife had twins. I remember being in the Bahamas with them and they brought their twins. The twins were two years younger than Eric and they just talked and talked and talked, asking questions about everything. They were five and Eric was seven. “I remember their mom saying to them, ‘Be quiet!’ or something to shut them up quickly. I think she said, ‘I’m talking now’ or ‘Don’t interrupt’ something like that. And it really hit me. And I said to her, ‘Just be glad they can talk.’ “I do feel bad for Eric sometimes because he hasn’t been able to enjoy a lot of the things other kids do. I think I had normal feelings of loss.” |
“I feel grateful I’ve been able to be there for Eric so much,” says MJ. “My husband, Don, and I were both nurses. I think that helped in caring for Eric.
“Having Eric, I think, made us look at the world totally differently. I had a lot of single friends, and they don’t know what they are missing. There is a degree of selfishness you can have when you don’t have the responsibilties of a child like Eric. I don’t know that I can express it in the way I want to. But they have a freedom, and they don’t realize it. They can go to the bathroom and not have to rush. They can go to the store.
“There are so many things to be mindful of with Eric. I guess they are missing out on learning what it’s like to have someone in your life that takes priority. It makes you appreciate things more.” |
“Eric was always active, very active,” adds MJ. “He was enrolled in the Stein Behavior program after school, because he was always on the run. He was in the Helen Woodward Therapeutic Riding program, then the Special Olympics.
“There was also a llama program in Escondido. He loved it. He took the llama around an obstacle course in about five minutes – a 400-pound llama – over ladders and haystacks. We eventually bought a llama and boarded it there. The llama’s name was Chief Tomahawk. We called him Tommy.” |
Adds MJ, “We went to Sea World, the Safari Park, Disneyland, the beach. Eric was always interested in animals, and bugs.
“When the seizures got really bad, he had to wear a helmet and knee pads. He eventually got kicked out of the Stein program due to his behaviors. When he was younger, he would throw things, strike out at people, run away. Eric kept us challenged.” |
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Adds MJ, “Up until Eric moved to Mountain Shadows, I always had the worry of, ‘What if something happens to us?’ I could see something needed to change in the future. I needed something I could count on.
“Mountain Shadows has been a lifesaver. It was more than I could have ever hoped for. It’s a community.
“When Eric was younger, they tried to put him in regular classes versus special classes in school. They call it inclusion and a parent does want that normalcy in their child’s life. But you also don’t want the child to be the odd one out all the time, to be different.
“Eric is sensitive that way. He knows – and he gets hurt. So, being around others with similar issues at Mountain Shadows has been empowering for him.
“He’s shy. He knows his limits in communicating. But now he verbalizes more. And if someone mentions they have a dog, he’s like, ‘Wow! I’ve got something in common with this person!’ He comes alive.” |
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“Eric has matured at Mountain Shadows,” says MJ. “He sees it not just as people in a house, but as a community, as a family.
“Don and I didn’t take many vacations. I always felt guilty and worried about leaving Eric. But, since he’s been at Mountain Shadows, I know he won’t be sitting around alone. There are people who will take good care of him. Now I can do more of the things I want to do.
“During COVID, Eric did fine. We were able to do Zoom calls. We’d talk and laugh. I sent him puzzles to do. It was reassuring to know that he could handle it, that he was mature enough to know that I didn’t have to be there, and he was okay. That was big, really big.” |
“MJ is really amazing,” says Daniel. “She’s extremely involved in Eric’s life. She’s on top of everything. She takes, or meets him at all of his appointments. She loves spending time with him. And Eric loves spending time with his mom.” Adds Jasmine, “I love MJ. She is so involved in Eric’s life. She picks him up every Saturday and Sunday. Eric knows when it’s the weekend and he gets so excited. He’s like, ‘Mommy! Mommy!’
“MJ bought a big planter for the house where we can plant vegetables. It is outside in the backyard. The staff has started a garden and the residents help by watering the plants.” |
“There were challenges in raising Eric, but there was so much more joy,” says MJ. “Don and I were so proud of him. So proud of all his accomplishments and his resilience.
“Seeing the world through Eric’s eyes helped keep us active and young – and always exploring new adventures with him. “My hope for Eric is that he lives a good, long life, and is healthy. “Mountain Shadows gives me peace of mind. I know when I’m gone, Mountain Shadows will be there for him.
“That peace of mind is everything. I just can’t say enough about Mountain Shadows. I’m grateful. Just so very grateful. I thank God that Mountain Shadows exists, and I’ll do everything I can to support it.” |
A 40-year study of Orca’s, or killer whales, revealed that mother orca’s make life-long sacrifices for their son’s survival, despite compromising the mother’s health and well-being.
Perhaps, on some level, perhaps on a soul-level, as Eric tucks his Shamu toy into his backpack every day, or as he falls to sleep embracing it every night, he senses a connection to the orca’s motherly love and protection – and it comforts him and brings him peace – as his mother, MJ, always has and will.
That is our hope. And on this Mother’s Day, we celebrate MJ Hammill, for her unconditional love and sacrifice for her son.
Happy Mother’s Day, MJ, from the entire Mountain Shadows Family!!!
(Our thanks to MJ Hammill for her generosity in supporting the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society through her estate and special needs trust.) |
In honor of Eric and his mother, MJ, and in celebration of all our Mountain Shadows Mothers, Portia Bibb will match up to $10,000 in donations to the Mountain Shadows Foundation! Have your Mother’s Day gift DOUBLED! $25 → $50
$50 → $100 $75 → $150 $100 → $200 $500 → $1,000 Double another amount Donate now and you can receive a tax deduction for this year! Your gift will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, up to a total of $10,000.
On Mother’s Day, and all days, the Mountain Shadows Foundation funds activities which add meaning and richness to our residents’ lives. Click on the link below to have your donation doubled today: Please click here to double your donation today! Please share this story with your family, friends and co-workers to help grow our Mountain Shadows Family! |
The Mountain Shadows Foundation –
Because We CARE |
Thanks to YOUR SUPPORT, the Mountain Shadows CARE program provides recreational and social experiences to residents and participants adding meaning and richness to their lives. It’s easy for you to help us continue to provide activities like this – activities that improve the quality of our residents’ lives in fulfillment of their dreams. Here are some ways you can help ensure these crucial activities can continue for years to come: - Make a one-time donation today by clicking on the donate button below.
- Make a monthly or annual contribution.
- Leave a Legacy Gift.
To learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society, to include us in your estate plan, or to let us know if you have already designated Mountain Shadows to receive a legacy gift, please contact Mandy Huiras, Director of Development at: [email protected], or visit our website by clicking here:
Learn More About the Mountain Shadows Foundation Legacy Society
Please share this story with your family, friends and co-workers to help grow our Mountain Shadows Family! |
Mandy Huiras
Mountain Shadows Foundation Director of Development
Contact Mandy today to learn more about the Mountain Shadows Foundation and how you can continue to make a difference in the lives of our residents:
mhuiras@mtnshadows.org |
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