Meet the Desjardins
"Daniel was not only raised by us as a family, he was raised by the entire community of St. Paul."

Daniel Desjardins

A number of years ago, the Desjardins returned from a family vacation and found that their house had been broken into and vandalized. As a result of this experience, Daniel discovered that he had a goal – He wanted to make people feel safe. In 1999, with the assistance of the "College Connection" Program, Daniel became the first person with a developmental disability to enroll in the Police and Security Program at Grant MacEwan Community College in Edmonton.

Like any child leaving home for the first time, Daniel was a bit nervous moving to the "big city." The transition was made easier, however, when Daniel's older brother Rob and his wife Lorraine asked him to live with them while attending college. They were grateful when he accepted their offer. Daniel's eyes light up when he talks about his "Edmonton family" and how his "sister" is both his piano teacher and his "best friend."

Attending college has helped give Daniel confidence in his work abilities. In his last year of college his field placement assignment involved working security on campus. It was his job to patrol buildings, hallways, offices, the cafeteria, and the library to make sure they were safe. He wore a radio strapped to his belt and a uniform while making his rounds. In Daniel's own words, "I really looked professional." When Daniel graduated from College with the rest of his class, the President of the college shook his hand and turned to the audience to announce that: "We've all been very fortunate to have Daniel in our college, and we have learned much from this young man."

Daniel is an optimistic person who enjoys life fully and deals with his disability as best he can. In his words, "Down Syndrome sucks." He is presently taking psychology courses from the University of Alberta (at Blue Quills college). He lives in his own apartment, drives his Moped to work at the local movie theatre, and is growing his own security business (called DSS Support Network Ltd.) in St. Paul. He can be found at: www.dss.pwac.net .

Rob Desjardins

Rob Desjardins was nine years old when his brother was born. When his parents told him that his little brother might have Down Syndrome, Rob remembers hoping that Daniel did have Downs because his parents made it sound so special. Twenty-three years later, Rob and his brother still have a special relationship.

Rob is a soft-spoken and articulate man. He is also shy, and because of this quality, he admits that having a brother with Down's has at times been a challenge. "People with Down's take longer to learn appropriate social skills," he explains. "And they often miss or don't understand proper social cues." For example, Rob laughs as he tells the story of Daniel sitting on a bus, listening to his Walkman, and singing loudly along.

Rob has witnessed firsthand the benefits of Daniel's integration in regular college setting. Daniel's vocabulary and conversation skills have improved dramatically, and he handles social situations much better. "Daniel is most likely to miss social cues when he is tired," Rob explains. "But when he's on," Rob says, smiling, "he can be so eloquent. He's like a light bulb turning on."

It was Rob and his wife Lorraine's idea to have Daniel live with them while he attended college in Edmonton. He lived in the basement suite of their home. He often shared meals with them, and he carpooled with his brother to the University in the mornings where he then caught the LRT downtown to school.

Rob and Lorraine wanted Daniel to have as much freedom they could give him. This was a challenge, however, because Daniel wanted to do everything. Sometimes, Daniel's wishes, like buying and driving a car, made Rob nervous, even though he admired his brother's enthusiastic approach to life.

Rob and Lorraine hope that Daniel can live as independently as possible, doing something he finds interesting. "Knowing what I do of him and his capabilities," Rob grins, "I think that can be something quite sophisticated."

Donna and Ray Desjardins

Having a child with Down Syndrome was a shock for Donna and Ray, but not for long. A turning point for Donna and Ray came when a parent from the Gateway Association visited them in the hospital. She was the mother of a child with Down's, and she showed them a picture of her 16-year-old daughter riding a bike. "Our son's going to be able to ride a bike!" Donna said to her husband. From that moment on, and from that very modest goal, Donna and Ray have been active in making sure that Daniel has every support he needs to be able to live a full and rewarding life.

But a number of battles lay ahead. On Daniel's first day of kindergarten, the Desjardins received a phone call from the school telling them that Daniel's behavior was unacceptable Along with a number of other parents, they banded together and went to Social Services to request help. The road ahead was difficult, but the Desjardins fought hard to give Daniel the right to be educated in a fully integrated setting.

"Daniel was the icebreaker through all of his years in the educational system," Donna explains. "He was the first child with a developmental disability to be included in every class. He had to show the teachers what he could do." When Daniel graduated from high school, the entire community of St. Paul was on hand to celebrate. "And when he threw his hat in the air," Ray grinned, "there was not a dry eye in the place".

"Daniel is a lesson in this busy world that we live in," Donna says. "He reminds us of the 'realness' of life, the love and the caring, and all those things that are truly important." "Patience has never been one of my virtues", Ray admits, "but, Daniel has helped me realize just how much he can achieve if we give him the time to properly evaluate and react to life's many challenges."