September 2022 Special Needs Living Akron/Canton

Youth Spotlight

The Sweet and Fun-loving TANYA HARTMAN

Showing the world the value of acceptance and inclusion

By Mike Sturdivant

Mike Sturdivant

Tanya Rose Hartman was born three and a half weeks early, needing to be resuscitated immediately following birth. Around age 4, Tanya’s neurologist stated she possibly had Rhett syndrome and advised her parents there was a strong chance she may not live past her teen years. At 7, she was diagnosed with autism. However, from early in her life, Tanya made it clear she was going to be a fighter that was destined to forge her own path in life. She overcame all of these early obstacles in life and today is a 28-year-old who is thriving in life. She currently attends Gentlebrook’s Adult Day Hab, where she is part of the cleaning crew and is currently learning all of the skills that she needs to one day acquire a community employment position.

Tanya was the firstborn child in her family. Because of this, her mother Lena read a lot of books while she was pregnant, learning as much as she could about babies and raising children. It did not take very long for her family to realize she marches to the beat of her own drum. Her mom often describes raising Tanya was like walking in the dark. It was hard for Lena to find answers to questions when she had them until she found a parent hotline that she called frequently. It was during one of those calls that Lena received the most profound advice she had gotten up to that point. Be your daughter’s advocate. “If you do not fight for your daughter, no one else will.”

As Tanya got older, she began to have questions of her own. She knew as a young girl that other kids viewed her as being different. Lena was very upfront with explaining to her about autism in gentle ways that she could understand. Little by little, as Tanya grew, she learned more and more about her own disability. As she continued to learn, it did not take long for Tanya to realize she could do everything any other kid could, just differently and at her own pace.

Tanya’s family has always put an emphasis on raising her no differently than her other siblings, expecting her to study, finish her homework on time, and complete her chores, and they even enrolled her on a special needs cheer team called the American Idols!

As Tanya grew, she had an amazing support system that helped her continue to excel. She had two teachers that made a profound impact on her life: Mrs. Maureen Radalia from Fairhope Elementary School and Mrs. Connie Clark from Louisville High School. Her mother Lena stated, “These two women were so patient with Tanya as well as myself; they were always encouraging us and very resourceful. To say they went above and beyond is an understatement.” In addition to her teachers, she also received a large amount of encouragement from the bishop of their church Raymond Smith as well as the pastor of their church, his son Rev. Raymond Smith II. In addition to the American Idols Cheer team, Tanya was also part of a special needs choir while growing up.

Today she is active in Special Olympics, where she excels in Bocce Ball. She loves embroidering, coloring, and talking on the phone with her friends. She also loves being active with her church, Harvestime Apostolic Temple. Here Tanya is part of the Special Angels sign choir, is active with Sunday School Classes, and absolutely loves to greet people as they arrive. One of the things she enjoys most is helping at the church’s annual special needs fundraising event called Make ‘M Smile. During this event, Tanya runs her own children’s game, the Duck Pond!

Today Tanya is content living at home with her parents, two younger brothers, Jeremy and Preston, and their family pets. She loves to be helpful, and like all of us, she just wants to be included in everything she does. She has dreams of one day owning her own place to live in! She also recently was engaged to her sweetheart Daniel Prather, who she talks to every single day! There are no definite plans for a wedding date just yet; she is just enjoying being home and engaged for now! Living in the country, Tanya loves cookouts and bonfires, continuing to practice her bocce ball skills, and taking walks in the neighborhood.

“One question Tanya asked me over and over growing up, and even sometimes today, was, “I love everybody; why does everybody not love me?” Tanya truly does love everyone. She is kind, thoughtful, and loves her friends. That was the hardest, seeing her cry at night because people were mean to her. She wanted friends to play with growing up. Making friends with her classmate’s parents, I was able to pick up her classmates and have them over for play dates. This was not always easy, but very worth it to see the joy on Tanya’s face of having a real friend over to play with on her level.” - Lena Hartman.