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Families Matter Stories

Welcome to our Families Matter stories! Told mostly through video, they will introduce you to children and young adults who are deaf-blind and their families. As you get to know them, you will discover how individuals who are deaf-blind learn, develop, and live their lives.

Meet Paul Uribe

Paul smiling

Paul, age six, lives in California with his parents. He has combined vision and hearing loss due to CHARGE syndrome. His parents have made it a priority to connect with other families through the CHARGE Syndrome Foundation, their state deaf-blind project, and social media.

Meet Paul

Meet Ava Bullis as She Transitions to a New School

Ava smiling

Ava lives in New Jersey and has combined vision and hearing loss due to Usher syndrome. Her family recently moved to a new town, and she changed schools at the beginning of fifth grade. Parents, administrators, and teachers worked together to make the transition as smooth as possible, and she's thriving in her new school.

Meet Ava

Meet Liam Kenrick

Liam on a slide.

Liam, age seven, lives with his family in South Dakota. He became deaf-blind due to meningitis at age 2½ and communicates using American Sign Language. He is also a braille reader. His mom, Sandy, has found many creative ways to make home, school, and community as accessible as possible to him.

Meet Liam

Meet Soliz and Camila Magdelano

Soliz
Camila

Soliz, age eight, and Camila, age seven, live in Phoenix, Arizona with their mom (Heather Joy), dad (André), and dog (Sammy). Their family loves to travel and recently went on a camping trip to Malibu, where the children were immersed in nature and sensory experiences.

Meet Soliz and Camila

Meet Jake

Jake

Jake is 22 years old and just graduated from high school. He currently lives with his mom (Dee), dad (Ernie), and brothers, Connor and Patrick, in Lawrence, Kansas.

Meet Jake