4 minute read
Featured Family: Meet the Archer Family
By Kendra Rogers, MS- Editor-in-Chief
DAVID AND MELISSA ARCHER welcomed their late-in-life daughter, Jasmynn, almost 23 years ago. They were already seasoned parents to 4 older daughters, but this surprise gift threw them into a new journey—Autism. Jazz was diagnosed at age 4. She was nonverbal but a whiz with assistive technology like an iPad and LAMP Words for Life AAC app. David and Melissa embraced their new calling in life with open arms vowing to ensure Jazz was always accepted as she was created—purposefully by God. Along with their mission for acceptance, they believe that Jazz, and others like her are competent and reject naysayers who would have them believe otherwise.
David and Melissa met in Adrian and continue within the community there. Through his job as a police sergeant, David created ASD training for agencies to bring awareness and understanding to those who need it. Melissa is a retired High School English teacher and used her understanding of education to homeschool Jazz and keep her safe. School had been a challenge and Jazz saw many transitions in teachers and paraprofessionals. Not only did she need the consistency Melissa was able to offer at home, but moving away from traditional schooling eliminated the need to reteach teachers regarding Jazz’s needs each year. Also born out of Jazz’s needs, the family began Jasmynn’s Voice (www.jasmynnsvoice.org), a 501c3 that serves 18 counties in MI and has provided over 700 iPads with AAC apps to help individuals have a voice.
Among the wonderful activities the family has discovered together are long walks on the beach with the dolphins singing with Jazz’s unique vocalizations, quiet time on the porch watching Jazz swing, early bird dinners full of meat (Jazz’s favorite) when the restaurants are quieter, Sundays at church, quiet neighborhood or park walks, and wild time with the grandkids. In each of these spaces, Melissa shares that Jazz lights the world differently. Whether shying away from the scariness that is Rainforest café where thunder and lightning perforate the atmosphere or waiting for fish to “kiss your feet”, Jazz has a special outlook on life. Jazz also loves Jesus and church brings her a special calm where she can connect and sing. Andrea Bocelli, Adele, Bach, and nursery rhymes also bring her great joy as she recalls the specific songs she wants to hear by their track numbers on CDs with 50+ songs each. Her impeccable memory and speed with her AAC device are things Melissa notices as highly impressive. Christmas is an explosive time of joy for the family as they gather to enjoy the magic through Jasmynn’s eyes. Her enjoyment and sparkle are contagious, and she deeply believes in the magic of the holiday. Though “experts” claimed Jasmynn would never speak, hold a fork, or ride a bike (among other things), she has surpassed all expectations and continues to demonstrate deeper thought than many gave her credit for. Her eyes and brain process things most don’t including the sparkling dust floating in the air and the feeling of the sky on her face as she rides her bike with closed eyes never losing her way. In “Jasmynn’s World” (like Elmo’s world), we all get to experience a slice of what Jazz does. When we join her special corner of the world, our lives are richer.
Through advocacy for Jazz and those like her, David and Melissa have realized a dream they never knew they had. Not only have they created Jasmynn’s Voice, but they also urge other parents to find their communities and reach for hope. Families need the opportunity to lean on, learn from, and support others. Through community, families can reach for bigger goals like what happens after young adults age out of the school programs at 26, and what happens when their primary caregivers leave this Earth. Questions like, “what does this look like for adults?”permeate conversations between David and Melissa and their community. Right now, Jasmynn’s life has meaning and purpose, but what happens next? David and Melissa want to be prepared for the future as they move through the coming years with Jasmynn. Like many other parents raising kids with special needs, David and Melissa need the community. Melissa urges “find your people. They exist, but you have to take the steps to find them”.
