Easterseals West Kentucky is more than just a location where goals are met and skills are developed—it is a place that many people call “home” and where people discover belonging, connection, and love. For AS, this is a tangible reality every day.
One of our long-time staff members has the joy of going to work, spending time, and enjoying life each day with one of the participants in the Adult Day Health Care program. Over the years, the two have built a bond so strong and natural that AS doesn’t just see him as a staff member—he calls him “Dad.”
The story of how this family was formed began in the most ordinary way.
“About 10 years ago, I was asked to take an individual home for the weekend and keep him while his family attended a holiday work party. We had an amazing time that weekend.... His family and I agreed to let him stay a little longer... he never left.”
What started as a simple weekend quickly became something life-changing.
It was close to AS’s birthday, and they spent their time going out to eat, shopping for gifts, and celebrating together. The staff member recalls how kind, polite, and joyful AS was—and how hard it was to say goodbye at the end of those few days. But AS didn’t want to say goodbye. When he returned home, he begged his family to let him come back. Soon after, his brother reached out, and after long conversations about Easterseals’ programs and the supports available, everyone agreed AS could return for “a little longer.” That “little longer” turned into forever.
Now, more than a decade later, their relationship has grown into something that feels exactly like family.
“We have challenges and struggles occasionally like any family would, but he has completely changed my life—I love him like he is my own flesh and blood. I can't imagine my life without him now.”
Every day, they continue to impact one another’s lives—and the lives of everyone who sees their bond. Their story reminds us that Easterseals is not just about programs and services. It’s about love found in unexpected places, about belonging that transforms lives, and about relationships that remind us what family truly means.
