Easter Seals-The Brix Family
By: Marcus Bailey
Updated: January 23, 2013
PEORIA-- The Brix family is no stranger to Easter Seals.
"I've known Jordan since he was about two years old" says Gretchen Meyer, a therapist at Easter Seals. "He's been coming to Easter seals for all that time."
14 year old Jordan Brix has Cerebral Palsy. C.P. is described as loss or impairment of motor function. C.P. affects body movement, muscle control, coordination, tone, reflex, posture and balance.
"When Jordan was little he was pretty stiff" says Meyer. "His legs were pretty stiff, and just getting him to try to stand by himself was next to impossible."
The Brix family got the diagnosis when Jordan was 20 months old. The news came as a shock to his parents.
"Obviously being new parents and getting the first one was just almost to some degree, devastating." says Jordan's father, Allan Brix. "You never like to think that about your children, so when we got the first one we were stunned."
Through the years of hard work at home, and with the dedicated staff at Easter Seals, Jordan began reaching milestones. By the age of 6, Jordan was able to walk on his own. Today, he's an active middle school student, who loves the spotlight of the theater during the annual Penguin Project, and especially sports.
But the Brix story doesn't end here.
8 years after Jordan, the Brix family welcomed Andrea to the world. It wasn't long though before the family knew something was up.
"When we had our second child, we got her diagnosis at about 10 months" says Allan Brix. "It was shocking, but didn't quite have the same shock value in the fact that we could see it, with being around Easter Seals for 8 years, we knew there were things that weren't what a normal child should be like."
Andrea also has C-P; and like her brother, is receiving therapy from Easter Seals.
"It's challenging." Says Shelly Brix, Jordan and Andrea's mother. "Everyday is a challenge. Just takes longer to get places and to get ready to go places and just to make sure they have everything they need; plus once they leave the house you know making sure they are taking care of as well."
But the Brix children continue to make incredible progress at home and at school, thanks to the services at Easter Seals.
"Easter Seals has been wonderful", says Shelly Brix. "We could not have done it without them. Jordan would not be as successful as he has been without them. They have helped us not only with therapy for the kids, but really we're just part of their family now."
Make sure to join us for the Easter Seals telethon on March 2nd on WMBD 31
"I've known Jordan since he was about two years old" says Gretchen Meyer, a therapist at Easter Seals. "He's been coming to Easter seals for all that time."
14 year old Jordan Brix has Cerebral Palsy. C.P. is described as loss or impairment of motor function. C.P. affects body movement, muscle control, coordination, tone, reflex, posture and balance.
"When Jordan was little he was pretty stiff" says Meyer. "His legs were pretty stiff, and just getting him to try to stand by himself was next to impossible."
The Brix family got the diagnosis when Jordan was 20 months old. The news came as a shock to his parents.
"Obviously being new parents and getting the first one was just almost to some degree, devastating." says Jordan's father, Allan Brix. "You never like to think that about your children, so when we got the first one we were stunned."
Through the years of hard work at home, and with the dedicated staff at Easter Seals, Jordan began reaching milestones. By the age of 6, Jordan was able to walk on his own. Today, he's an active middle school student, who loves the spotlight of the theater during the annual Penguin Project, and especially sports.
But the Brix story doesn't end here.
8 years after Jordan, the Brix family welcomed Andrea to the world. It wasn't long though before the family knew something was up.
"When we had our second child, we got her diagnosis at about 10 months" says Allan Brix. "It was shocking, but didn't quite have the same shock value in the fact that we could see it, with being around Easter Seals for 8 years, we knew there were things that weren't what a normal child should be like."
Andrea also has C-P; and like her brother, is receiving therapy from Easter Seals.
"It's challenging." Says Shelly Brix, Jordan and Andrea's mother. "Everyday is a challenge. Just takes longer to get places and to get ready to go places and just to make sure they have everything they need; plus once they leave the house you know making sure they are taking care of as well."
But the Brix children continue to make incredible progress at home and at school, thanks to the services at Easter Seals.
"Easter Seals has been wonderful", says Shelly Brix. "We could not have done it without them. Jordan would not be as successful as he has been without them. They have helped us not only with therapy for the kids, but really we're just part of their family now."
Make sure to join us for the Easter Seals telethon on March 2nd on WMBD 31
