The Jed Series 3/5: Braden, Dad

(THE JED SERIES 3/5: Braden, Dad)

He sat up from a seated position, steadied himself, then took a dozen or so steps – the longest jaunt I had ever witnessed him take. He rounded a corner and disappeared from sight.

I sat and marveled at this new development our family had witnessed for the last several weeks – Jed is walking!

Jedidiah Coy Snyder has been a fighter since the day he was born. Since he suffered a setback in his development at six months due to infantile spasms, his therapists have always remarked on how hard he has worked.

We have witnessed his dogged determination, too. We have watched him fall and get back up countless times, but it hasn’t deterred him in the least.

“The harder that battle, the sweeter the victory.”

It should come as no surprise that we have been exceedingly proud of Jed with each developmental milestone he has made. And nothing brings him more joy than having an audience.

We have made it a regular occurrence to gather around Jed to cheer him on as he practices his newest skill. As he stands on his own and we clap our hands, his face lights up as he joins in on the applause.

As Jed continues to get better at walking – taking longer steps, navigating obstacles – I reflect back on how far he has come. And I can’t wait to celebrate each new milestone that comes along, on his time.

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