This is Lisa.
She is from Kingston, NY… Born and raised….
I believe that “everybody has a story” and this is Lisa’s….
She was born in August of 1980.
I met her when she was only 1 month old.
I was almost 10 years old when she was born.
She and her family lived across the street from me.
Our neighborhood was perfect. Lots of kids. Lots of fun. Lots of close families.
I remember when I was able to meet Lisa for the first time. I was super excited. I remember getting the ok from my mom to go and visit the new baby. I remember literally running across the street to meet her. Could not hold back my excitement.
You see, Lisa was adopted. She was a special gift…and she had just arrived home…
She was welcomed into her forever home, …..with her forever family, …at about 1 month of age.
I remember she was so adorably cute.. She was so little in that infant seat. She looked like a little doll..She had the cutest little face and blonde hair… I was so pleased to meet her.
Lisa lived happily with her mom and her brother.
They were a wonderful family.
Her mom worked at a local elementary school as a special education teacher.
Her brother was about 5 years old when Lisa was welcomed into their family.
The entire neighborhood was so excited for them all.
She was a perfect little girl who lit up their life..
I remember looking across the street and seeing when Lisa first learned to walk. She loved pushing her toy baby stroller with a baby doll inside. ALWAYS smiling..!! A very happy girl.
I also remember that she didn’t talk too much…..At that age that she should have been. Instead, she was making noises that sounded more like squeaks or squeals.
Lisa’s mom, being a special education teacher, started to worry about Lisa not being able to talk and brought her to be checked out.
Turns out, Lisa was deaf.
Pretty much 100 percent deaf.
No one knew Lisa was deaf until this point.
At this point, Lisa’s mom immediately started getting Lisa the help she needed to catch up in all areas of “early childhood development”.
Lisa’s mom was a single parent during Lisa’s younger years . Let me tell you, she was an AMAZING and STRONG woman… One of the best parents I knew.. She was a sweet and caring woman/mother who loved her children more then anything in the world. She had a warm smile. I will always remember her as a kind soul.
Turns out, all of the childhood intervention that Lisa received worked very well…
Lisa was 6 years old when she started Kindergarten.
Lisa did real well as she was going through school.
She went to a special class with other deaf children for all of her years in the Kingston School District, then eventually Rondout School District.
Turns out, the classes for the elementary school aged deaf students were held in the same building/school that her mom worked as a special education teacher. That worked out well…
Lisa did eventually get hearing aids.
She learned how to talk.
She talked with the tone that most deaf people have.
Lisa and her family eventually moved away from our neighborhood. They didn’t move from our friendship, however..
Lisa’s mom stayed in touch with another neighbor, named Jackie..Jackie was a good friend to Lisa’s mom and she was like an aunt or a second mom to Lisa.. Jackie always kept the rest of our neighborhood updated on how Lisa and the rest of her family was doing.
Lisa got teased at school every so often, but she was a strong girl and she dealt with it.
Lisa made it through elementary school, middle school, and high school.
All the while, being in special classes due to her being deaf.
Interesting story….She got to be good friends with another deaf girl that was in school with her. As time want on.. they eventually found out that they came from the same birth mother… That’s right, Lisa had a birth sister who sat right next to her in class !!… I am not sure how they figured this out, .. how it all went down… But it was figured out.. They went on to learn that they also had a brother who was also in special education classes with them… All 3 were deaf.. All 3 went to 3 different adoptive families who didn’t discover the children were deaf until they were a year or 2 old.
Can you imagine that happening and how amazing that must have felt upon that discovery ?!..They were all 3 thrilled about finding this out …
Lisa continued to have a great relationship and friendship with her birth-siblings ever since…
This picture below was taken about 1 week after they discovered they were all related. They were so happy to know this news that they went and met up for a professional photo. I was told by Lisa’s birth brother that they all showed up for the picture wearing blue without it being planned that way..(Lisa is the girl on the left..)
.
Well, Lisa received a great education right up to through high school. I am happy to report that she graduated from high school when she was 19 years old.
I remember my father used to run into Lisa in the mall. My dad spent time there as a “mall walker” in his retired years. Lisa was always so happy to see my father. He loved seeing her and always told me when he did. He always talked about her beautiful smile.
Let me tell you some more great things about Lisa…
She was friendly.
She liked to bake.
She liked to swim.
She went to special classes to learn sign language.
She had a huge, obvious smile. I mean… when this girl smiled all of her teeth would show.. Ear to ear in happiness… When she smiled at you, you had no choice but to smile back.. It was one of THOSE kind of smiles.. She had a beautiful gleam in her eyes when she smiled… She was genuine.
My dad told me about this one particular time that he ran into Lisa in our local shopping mall. She was super excited to tell him her big news… She was going to be leaving soon for college..
Yes… COLLEGE… Go LISA !!!!!
She got accepted into the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, N.Y.
Lisa moved to Rochester .. She moved in to college.
Her mom and brother must have been happy and excited for her.
This is where this story takes a turn .. for the worse …….
Lisa was all moved in,… all settled in.. Loving school so much that she went to some classes twice to make sure she knew it well.
After being at school for about 2 weeks, …
Lisa collapsed…
In her dorm room.
Her roommate found her on the floor.
Lisa was revived.
But, she was in a coma.
Lisa was rushed to a nearby hospital in Rochester..
She stayed there for quite some time… All the while still in a coma.
Turns out, from what little I know of the prognosis, Lisa had a brain infection. It was somehow related to her being deaf. This caused her to collapse and go into a coma.
Lisa’s mom called on the neighbor, Jackie, that I spoke of earlier….
Jackie was a nurse and a dear friend to Lisa’s mom.
Jackie flew to Rochester 2 or 3 times to be with Lisa, Lisa’s mom, and Lisa’s brother.
It was important for Jackie that she was there, in Rochester, for Lisa. ……Lisa and Jackie had a great relationship ..Lisa loved Jackie… Jackie loved and adored Lisa right back… You will see, on the back of Lisa’s 8th grade school picture (below) what Lisa truly thought of Jackie.
(I want thank Jackie for helping me with this story and supplying me with photos.)
Eventually, Lisa was brought closer to her family home. She remained in a coma and was being cared for at a local Brain Trauma Center in Lake Katrine, NY.
Lisa’s mom spent hours, days, months, and eventually years by Lisa’s side.
She would talk to Lisa. She would hold her hand. She would put headphones on her ears.. Hoping to get some response from her…She was a religious woman and she prayed a lot.
Lisa’s mom did so much for her. She tried so hard. She was a perfect mom.
Lisa was in the brain trauma center for a long time. It must have been exhausting for Lisa’s mom.. She never complained.
Things started to get worse for Lisa, however..
Sadly, Lisa eventually passed away on January 3, 2003.
She was only 22 years old.
That big, happy smile of hers……. She should have been able to share that with more people for many more years..
God must have wanted that smile with HIM..
Lisa’s mom and brother were devastated..
Lisa was a special person..
She was loved by many people. She was somebody’s daughter and sister.
How many of you knew this story about this young girl from Kingston, NY?
I don’t think many people from Kingston did…
I wanted to write this story to make sure more people knew about Lisa’s life because she deserved that !
What a great, happy, and friendly girl she was. And she lived for 22 years …
I will NEVER forget Lisa…
I also want to add that Lisa’s mom passed away 9 years after Lisa… She passed away in February of 2012. I like to think that Lisa and her mom are together again…Happy to be together and smiling down on us all. Lisa’s giant, ear to ear, smile…..and her mom’s sweet, warm smile.. that always came along with a slight head tilt…
Always in my heart…
In addition….Lisa’s brother has turned out to be one of the most successful people I know. So, I know they are super proud of him. I know I am super proud of him!!… I am sure his success comes from the strength that he has received from his sister and mother…
Jackie had not looked at these pictures of Lisa in many, many years .. Until I called on her for this blog story. When she looked on the back of this particular photo (to see if she wrote the year it was taken) and saw this note from Lisa…Suddenly, this picture was that much more special. She forgot Lisa wrote this note. What a special gift Jackie received, yesterday, by looking for these photos for me..
A young, deaf girl writes “Jackie, you are my best friend”…
A true gift.
I was fortunate to be part of Lisa’s new family but I didn’t get enough time with her on this earth . Her smile was contagious and her love and generosity was bountiful. Her mother Sandra I don’t even know where to begin , all I can say is she is missed greatly by many people and there is not a day that goes by that I don’t think of her. As for her brother his wife and their daughter I have a very special place in my heart for them. They will always remain my family and I love them unconditional . Thank you for this story I learned some things I didn’t know about ” my sister”
Hi. My name is Andrew Broskie. I am Lisa’s biological brother. I was very fortunate to be in same class and grow up with her not only as friend but eventually as brother. she was not only a wonderful sister but her mom as a great woman. I was also fortunate to meet her brother r.j. he is not only a great friend but he is also considered my brother. They were a great family and still are. I miss the to of them very dearly and I still have contact with her brother. I loved them all and still do.
what a wonderful tribute to a sweet girl,and her mom,who i had the privilege of knowing for a short time . sandy was a good friendwho would help anyone in need i miss both of them still think of them often!jackie
Hi jackie, how are you doing? I still think of how you are to this day and have fond memories of you and my mom together. Let me know if you ever want to stay in contact and I’ll give colleen my email and number for you
Thank you for sharing this heartwarming story!