Roberta, Tyler’s mom, can’t talk about her son without welling up with tears. Tyler has had many struggles in his young life including two open heart surgeries. Partial DiGeorge syndrome has affected his heart, immune system, fine motor ability, and learning. Before starting kindergarten at Word of Life Lutheran school, Tyler needed a lot of help. All of this sounds like the beginning of a really sad story, but Tyler’s is one of triumph.

Tyler loves to read, laugh, and make jokes with friends. He can often be heard telling his resource teacher, “You’re gonna tell my mom I did this myself, right?” Tyler is proud of the work he does and eager to share what he has learned with others. Partnership with LASE has made it possible for Tyler to be a part of the Word of Life family.

Roberta says, “I want people to know how hard Tyler works. It is a relief to see how far he has come since he started at Word of Life. (The LASE staff) has made it possible for him to learn with the friends he has made here. They help the other teachers understand how Tyler works.”