Stories of Wil: Simply Powerful

Wil and Victoria Woods

submitted by Christie Taylor

Wil is a 14-year-old boy with Down syndrome. He is the little brother, by 20 months, to twin sisters, Katherine and Elizabeth. Wil’s mom, Christie, knew very little about Down syndrome when Wil was diagnosed shortly after his birth. It didn’t take long for Christie to realize how enriching life with Down syndrome is. Embracing this newfound life, Christie was compelled to share her experiences with Wil. Christie’s desire, in sharing these stories, is to promote an awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the amazing capabilities of individuals with Down syndrome.

Kristi Campbell, Wil’s paraprofessional, sent me this photo of Wil cooking at school with his Connect mentor, Victoria Woods. It was Cinco de Mayo and they were making tacos. Kristi told me he ended up eating three! 

It’s awe-striking to me, still, even though Wil is a teenager, how powerful the simplest joys are with him. I mean, they were making tacos on Cinco de Mayo. How simple is that? But look at their faces. I think of the support he is encompassed with. Simple never is with Wil. 

When Wil was born, I knew so little about Down syndrome. I didn’t know how powerful the simplest actions could be. 

Though there was a high learning curve in early therapies and doctor’s appointments with Wil, my deepest learning came from knowing him. Knowing Wil’s smile. Knowing Wil’s hugs. Knowing Wil’s first words. Knowing a community that embraced him. 

When I reached out to Victoria, she shared, “it’s kids like him who have really made me want to go into the profession. He is so caring.”  

Victoria is way ahead of where I was. Her knowing will change lives. Not only for her chosen profession in the future, but also right now. The way she interacts with Wil, simply by being who she is, sets an example that shatters stereotypes and alleviates fears. It is not scary to know Wil. It is not hard to know Wil. In fact, it’s really darn cool to know Wil. 

Whenever I hear words like Victoria’s, I’m always drawn to thoughts of my mom’s close friend, Martha. Martha has three sons. Her oldest, Paul, is my age and has Down syndrome. Paul did not have friends like Victoria. In fact, for Paul, general classroom opportunities were scarce to non-existent. Early therapy was not available or encouraged. And a Connect mentor program would have been a far off dream. Martha navigated this life with a tiny fraction of the awareness and advocacy Wil is surrounded with. 

Wil and Victoria’s experiences are not just for Wil and Victoria. They are for the families who navigated this life before us, and for the families for whom Wil and Victoria will open doors. The power of advocacy is not always found in picket lines. Advocacy is also spread by our daily actions in simple, yet powerful, ways. Simple never is with Wil.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.