Mom desires bicycle, games for special son
By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer
At age 15, "K.B.'s" son cannot speak, communicating with gestures that few outside his immediate family understand.
Toward those he knows, affection is expressed with hugs and kisses. Sweeping the floor, wiping the table and folding laundry gives him a sense of pride, K.B. said of the eldest of her two children, who is mildly retarded and autistic.
"He's very active and impulsive and can't be left alone anytime or anywhere," she said. "So he always must have someone he knows there to watch him. My life revolves around him."
K.B. can work full time because relatives help her care for her son.
She said her son is her inspiration.
"He's childlike, maybe 3 or 4 years old mentally, but he showed me that he can learn things by watching," K.B. said. "For his future, I want him to become as independent as possible so he can live the best life he can."
K.B. would like a bicycle for her son to replace one that's falling apart.
"He loves to ride in the yard," she said.
She also would like grade-level K-1 educational computer programs or games, which she cannot afford, to cut the time he spends watching TV.
Our anonymous Santa has generously offered once again this year to match the first $25 of each donation to the Christmas Fund. Checks made payable to "The Advertiser Christmas Fund" should be mailed to Helping Hands Hawai'i, P.O. Box 17780, Honolulu, HI 96817.
Monetary donations may be dropped off at any First Hawaiian Bank branch. Anyone wishing to donate goods instead of money can do so at the Community Clearinghouse at 2100 N. Nimitz Highway, near Pu'uhale Road. For details, call 440-3804.
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Recent donations to The Advertiser Christmas Fund
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Total $6,851.99
Total to date $53,314.74
