Meet Jim

Jim Silcock by Ann Belles photos by Bob Riha

I want to share with you a little bit about my husband and our family.  I think that my husband is truly an "exceptional parent" and is a perfect example of how a person with a significant disability can make a difference in the lives of others.  Jim and I so far have adopted 25 boys.  The Silcock boys range in age from toddlers to adults. 

Our children have disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Seizure Disorders, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Spina Bifida, and various other birth defects and developmental disabilities. Some of the children have been prenatally exposed to drugs, suffered from severe child abuse and neglect, or have been diagnosed with terminal illnesses.

Abandoned by their biological parents or removed from their birth families by the courts, many of the children had been in the foster care system or living in state-run institutions for years.  These children were left with relatively little hope for permanency or adoption before being matched with our family.

It is obvious that Jim absolutely loves caring and advocating for our children.  Jim has not only provided a warm and loving home for these children, he has also provided his boys with opportunities to grow and progress well beyond any of the professionals' expectations and predictions. Our kids are exceptional, and it is a treat, as Jim's partner, to watch the boys grow and make progress. Jim takes pride in providing a highly stimulating, and wonderfully loving home for his children.  He gets so excited watching the children develop their skills,  their interests and personalities.  As they experience success, inevitably their self-esteem grows. I could go on and on about the boys, as each child has a story to tell that is just as exciting.

What makes Jim's story even more remarkable is the fact that Jim himself is also severely disabled.  Jim sustained a broken neck as a result of a diving accident in 1987.  Jim is a C-5 quadriplegic, with only limited use of his arms and upper body.  He is unable to walk or even stand.  He uses a power wheelchair for mobility, a ceiling mounted I-TEC lift to get in and out of bed, and drives, with hand-controls, a specially designed minivan. 

As you are aware, sometimes people who have suffered from such traumatic high-level spinal cord injuries have difficulty accepting their disability and limitations.  Often they focus on finding a "cure" and returning to their pre-injury status.  Many people with spinal cord injuries, it seems, spend much of their time advocating for themselves in order to receive the services they need to get through each day.  With all of the physical care and health issues related to a spinal cord injury, it is often difficult for a person with paralysis to get through the day with a positive attitude.  Jim, it seems, is one of the exceptions to the rule.  

Jim focuses his unending energy and excellent advocacy skills on bettering the lives of the children in our home. Additionally, he makes sure our children get the proper care and supervision they need, get to their doctor appointments and various lessons on time, and that the household routine runs smoothly,  Jim is a generous and supportive employer as well as a patient, warm, and caring father and husband.  Jim is not only a wonderful role model for his children, but also an inspiration and a hero for anyone who has the opportunity to cross his path. 

If you are interested in finding out more about Jim and our family, please feel free to contact us.