Finding the Light: How The STAR Center Helped Us Find Hope for Our Son
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
The STAR Center has always been a nonprofit that hosts fabulous events, or at least that is what I always associated The STAR Center with.
In 2021, my son was transitioning to a new speech therapist. Someone recommended Billy with The STAR Center for speech services. I had no idea that anyone could attend The STAR Center for therapy.
We had been on a long journey with my three-year-old son, Karver. He was nonverbal, and we had no answers. As a mother, this experience was terrifying. No one could provide an answer to the questions that constantly filled my mind. Would he ever talk? Was there a larger diagnosis? What path should I take for school, therapy, or simply navigating everyday life?
One afternoon, I spoke with Billy about beginning Karver’s therapy journey. The memory is so vivid. I was standing in my kitchen, looking out the window and crying while I was on the phone with her. I was a mother searching for answers.
During that season of my life, I was asking doctors, friends, and anyone I could find for opinions or guidance. The hardest part was seeing the uncertainty in their eyes. The unknown is terrifying. There is a fear of what your child may have to endure for the rest of their life, along with the mourning of who you thought your little boy would be and the life you imagined he would have.
It felt like walking in complete darkness, searching for a lantern to provide hope and guidance.
I am thankful to the good Lord above that Karver has a happy ending to his story. He was diagnosed with a severe case of oral ties and underwent a release procedure in the fall of 2021. After the procedure, his words began coming so quickly. Billy guided us through the entire process, from preparing his mouth for the procedure to helping Karver develop his sounds, words, and communication skills afterward.
My baby was not nonverbal. He simply had to learn how to use his words and communicate. At four years old, he began finding his voice, and even today he continues working on some of his speech sounds.
What an answered prayer.
There were many days spent pleading and begging God to heal my son, and He did just that.
Once The STAR Center came into our lives, I was no longer wandering through the darkness alone. I had someone to hold the lantern for me and walk beside me toward the light.
Today, my Karver is a brilliant eight-year-old who is thriving at Jackson Christian School with straight A’s. He is an incredible tennis player and an avid bookworm. While he still struggles with some of his speech, when I look at him, I see resilience, strength, and God’s faithfulness.
I also see how God used that journey to change my life.
When I think about The STAR Center, I am reminded of how much of an impact one organization can have on a single family. Sometimes, simply being part of one family’s story can be life-changing. The STAR Center was life-changing for ours.
