Four months ago, Destiny Smith could not walk, sit, or attend school; now, she does all three.
It’s thanks to her foster mom, Marie Louis, that Destiny has rapidly improved. Desmond Hannibal, Destiny’s case manager from ChildNet Youth and Family Services, a private nonprofit organization in Fort Lauderdale that supports vulnerable children, commends Louis for her extraordinary work.
“What you are seeing now is a totally different child,” Hannibal says.
Louis cares for Destiny with her husband of 36 years, Roosevelt, and their 16-year-old adopted son, Kalyns. The family has been fostering special needs children for the past 24 years.
“My husband and I take in children that are often overlooked,” Louis says. “Many children with autism and special needs struggle to find foster homes. This is where my heart is.”
After hearing Destiny’s tragic backstory last August, Louis offered to take her in. Destiny’s biological mother, Denise Rattray, 45, had suffered from hypertension and gestational diabetes throughout her pregnancy. She gave birth to Destiny on Jan. 11, 2009, via an emergency cesarean delivery.
As an infant, Destiny was diagnosed with Jacobsen syndrome, a genetic disease that often causes delayed development of motor skills and is fatal for about 20 percent of infants who have it. Her mom juggled several jobs to keep her family afloat; Rattray worked as a store cashier before she had a heart attack in August.
Rattray was transferred to the Boca Rehabilitation Center after her leg was amputated due to complications from diabetes. She has no set discharge date.
Destiny was placed under Louis’ care on Aug. 26. At first, the 13-year-old was distressed and unpredictable. “She used to break things and make noise relentlessly,” Hannibal says. “She was kept in a crib or restrained to a wheelchair.”
With the help of physical therapy, Louis has helped Destiny learn how to walk on her own. She has slowly incorporated different habits into the girl’s routine that have helped her learn how to sit, drink, and eat.
Destiny loves tasting Louis’ cooking before dinner and drinking boxed beverages. “The good thing about this is that she’s no longer kept in a crib,” Hannibal adds. “Now she has her own bed. From the time she entered Louis’ care, things have started to change for her.”
Destiny has been attending United Community Options, a nonprofit school in Fort Lauderdale that serves children with disabilities. She walks to and from the school bus every day. She also enjoys listening to music and going to the park. “I always play relaxing music for her,” Louis says. “She loves the radio station 98.6.”
Her son Kalyns keeps Destiny and the other foster children entertained; they put together puzzles and play games.
Some days, however, are still challenging for Destiny’s foster mom. “The scariest part is when she’s in the car,” she admits. “She’s constantly swinging her body back and forth. I don’t want her to bang her head against the seat or window. That’s the difficult part.”
Destiny has a condition that prolongs her body’s healing. Aside from being cautious on car rides, Louis has to keep an extra watch as she sleeps. From Wish Book this year, Louis would appreciate a platform bed or cushion for Destiny. The cushion will help protect her from hurting herself.
Louis and Hannibal are looking forward to seeing more improvement; Louis’s second wish for her is a lift to assist with potty training and getting her in and out of the shower and bath.
“That would be a big blessing,” Louis says.
Destiny’s story would not have drawn attention without the involvement and efforts of Kimberly Lehmann, ChildNet’s community relations coordinator. It was Lehmann who nominated her for Wish Book.
“There’s a long road ahead of us,” says Hannibal. “But I don’t think we could have found a better placement for Destiny.”
How to help
To help this Wish Book nominee and the more than 100 other nominees who are in need this year:
▪ To donate, use the coupon found in the newspaper or pay securely online through www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
▪ For more information, call 305-376-2906 or emailWishbook@MiamiHerald.com
▪ The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans
▪ Read all Wish Book stories on www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
This story was written for Florida International University’s South Florida Media Network.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
