My entire life I’ve tried to do what matters – whether volunteering, or befriending those who might need an extra friend – I just want to make an impact on someone’s life, make someone’s day better. I befriended Mike when I was a child, and knew him my entire life – through moving away for college, moving to Chicago for work – every time I went home to my sleepy Connecticut town, I’d run in to Mike – whether riding his bike on a town running path, or working at our local grocery store. Mike struggled with his developmental and intellectual disabilities, found some darkness in his life, but then found the light – he was a volunteer fire fighter, he rode horses – he made the best out of his life, until a terribly swift cancer diagnosis took his life from him. Mike taught us about patience, he taught us about inclusivity in the early 2000’s when DEI programs didn’t exist – I learned so much from him, and he made me a better person. Programs and funding, like the Special Children’s Charities, were integral in his path from darkness to light, and were able to help him get jobs, get rides to work, have access he and his parents didn’t know existed for so many years. I would be honored to run for him, and so many others, who just need that little extra support.