For me and my husband, Juan, our children are inspiration for our personal and spiritual growth.
Starting a family at a young age has taught us invaluable life lessons, particularly through the journey of our daughter Evelyn, 24.
Evelyn was born with her abdominal organs outside her body. She underwent immediate surgery and spent two months in the neonatal ICU. Over time, we learned that she was blind. She was diagnosed with autism, severe cognitive delays, and other medical conditions.
Motivated by the compassionate care Evelyn received, I pursued a career in nursing, specializing in pediatric patients with disabilities.
We view caring for Evelyn as a divine responsibility to support and guide others through our experiences.
As Evelyn transitioned out of her school program, finding appropriate care for her as a disabled adult posed a new challenge for us to navigate.
Seeking a better work-life balance, our family moved from New Jersey to North Carolina in the summer of 2021.
When we informed our other children, Matthew (now 14) and Jacqueline (9), about the move, their only wish was to attend a Catholic school. Unfamiliar with North Carolina, we selected our new hometown based on Juan's workplace and the closeness of a Catholic church and school.
We are delighted to call St. Catherine of Siena in Wake Forest our new spiritual home. Our kids quickly made friends and encouraged us to volunteer for school activities, which we happily did. During this time, we discovered we were expecting our fourth child, Daniella, who is now 10 months old.
Juan was invited to join the Knights of Columbus and started volunteering for various events and charitable causes. This led us to consider hosting Night to Shine at our parish with the Knights of Columbus.
Night to Shine was familiar to us because Evelyn has been a part of it since 2016, and we have volunteered a few times. Night to Shine is a remarkable initiative sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. This heartwarming event brings faith, hope, and love to the disability community. Its mission is to demonstrate the value of life. Night to Shine values, honors, and supports honored guests and their families through a prom, centered on God’s love … held simultaneously around the world on the Friday before Valentine’s Day.
Last year marked the return of the in-person Night to Shine after two virtual years due to Covid. We enrolled Evelyn to attend in Apex since a nearby location was already full, sparking the idea for our church to join this event.
On Feb. 9, St. Catherine of Siena Church and the Knights of Columbus hosted a Night to Shine event.
With months of prayer, planning, and the support of dedicated team leaders, our parish successfully hosted this amazing event. Nearly 100 honored guests, around 70 caregivers, and over 300 volunteers came together. Every guest was able to enjoy many of their favorite elements of Night to Shine including the red carpet, cheering & paparazzi, photography opportunities, music, dancing, catered dinner, decorations, special activities and being crowned a king or queen of the prom! We are grateful to God for the event's success and hope for continued improvement.
However, we understand that many disabled individuals and their families often experience feelings of isolation, misunderstanding, or lack of support in their daily lives. We aim to raise awareness about disabilities within the parish and the wider community by hosting this event again. We hope to shed light on the various challenges faced by the disabled community and encourage ongoing connections beyond just once a year.
We hope to encourage others to volunteer their time and befriend a person with disabilities or their family. A smile, a kind word, a thoughtful gesture, or any small act of kindness may hold immense value for a person with disabilities. You don't need prior experience with disabilities to show love and support to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We appreciate everyone's support.
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