Shout; shout; let it all out

Fort Wayne couple rejoices at blind boy's arrival
by Jennifer L. Boen

c/o Fort Wayne Newspapers
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My salute to this noble family!

Editor's note: The News-Sentinel first introduced the Hubley family in January 2007, in an award-winning story about families who have multiple children with disabilities. Since then, we've told you about the family's hopes of adopting a Haitian baby who, like one of their children, was born blind. This is an update on the Hubleys and the arrival of Jonas.

It doesn't take 20/20 vision to see the love Ryan and Rebekah Hubley of Fort Wayne have for the latest addition to their family. Jonas, 28 months, joined the family Wednesday all the way from Haiti, where he had lived in orphanages since his first birthday.

Given the name Wendylove by his Haitian mother, he was first left at a government-run orphanage, then taken to a private Christian orphanage, God's Littlest Angels. The Hubleys were told the family of Jonas Brice - his original name - likely abandoned him because they could not provide for his special needs.

Jonas is blind. But that was not a hindrance to the Hubleys.

Having a child with special needs “is no big deal,” said Ryan Hubley, a teacher and coach at Blackhawk Middle School. For the Hubleys, it is more the norm than the exception.

Hannah, 7, was born blind, and Micah, 5, was born with spina bifida. Luca, 22 months, has no apparent disabilities. All three are their biological children, and Hannah's and Luca's disabilities are not related.

The minute Rebekah Hubley set eyes on Jonas' picture on a Christian adoption agency's Web site and read that he was blind, she said she knew he was meant for their family. In the same time it took for the couple to await the births of their other children, it was nine months of filing paperwork with the Haitian government, finding local doctors who agreed to provide free medical care and filing more paperwork before Jonas arrived on U.S. soil.

The Hubleys currently are serving as Jonas' legal guardian, and he is in this country on a U.S. medical visa, which expires in 12 months. Before that, they hope to have all the necessary steps done to adopt him. Then they will return to Haiti with Jonas to file adoption papers in that country.

He's already seen the family pediatrician and an ophthalmologist since his arrival. Although in good general health, he has other medical and developmental problems of uncertain origin. His left side is weak, perhaps from a stroke at birth or he may have cerebral palsy. He is not yet talking or walking, although such delays are not uncommon in children who are blind, Rebekah Hubley said. He started in-home therapies with volunteer staff Monday.

The Haitian government required the Hubleys to get the free medical care for Jonas before Jonas could leave the country. Rebekah Hubley, having helped another couple raise more than $60,000 toward costs related to their son's kidney transplant, got agreements from doctors soon after, getting the ball rolling.

Bringing Jonas to Fort Wayne took on special meaning for Blackhawk Middle School students, who late last year raised $8,500 toward travel and adoption expenses. Students gave the family the money in a special assembly in December.

“There's an assembly coming up, and we're going to take Jonas so they can meet him,” said Ryan Hubley, a normally quiet man whose prowess as a football and soccer coach was overshadowed by humility and a tear-streaked face when handed the large check.

For now, the family is talking to, holding and playing with Jonas as much as possible, building a permanent bond. It's already forming because when Rebekah leaves Jonas' side for long, he cries for her.

“He's really ticklish,” Rebekah said, talking to Jonas sometimes in Creole, other times in English. During her childhood, Rebekah spent several months each year in Haiti, where her father, a doctor in Ossian, did short-term mission work. With Luca sitting on her lap, she stretched the back tendon of Jonas' left foot the way a therapist friend showed her.

On the couch nearby, Hannah thumbed through a large Braille book, reading and talking to herself. She knows Jonas is blind - but to a child who has viewed the world with ears, smell, touch and taste, that, like her dad says, is no big deal. Love is visible in so many ways.

“I sang one time to Jonas,” she said. “I sang ‘Jesus Loves Me' and ‘If You're Happy and You Know It (Clap Your Hands).'” For the Hubleys, both could be family theme songs. Every night for months, they have prayed together for Jonas. He's been “brother” to Micah and Hannah long before they met him.

Showing a bit of brotherly jealousy already, Luca asked his mother, “Baby bed?” pointing upstairs.

“I think he wants the baby (Jonas) to go to bed,” Rebekah Hubley said.

The Hubleys were told Friday by Fort Wayne eye specialist Dr. Kathleen McCabe that Jonas can see light, although his optic nerves are abnormal. Further tests are needed to know if he might have some vision in the future and whether his left-side weakness and developmental delays will be fully overcome with therapy, treatment or perhaps surgery.

“We don't know if Jonas could have some brain damage. Maybe we'll find out he does,” Rebekah Hubley said, kissing the youngster's cheeks and tickling his belly. “It doesn't matter. He's here. He's part of our family now.”
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I am usurping this article because I despise FW News of charging for older-than seven days archive fee of some dollars. Let's see... I uploaded photos to Flickr years ago ... still there. Huh, no archive fee.
I posted thousands of blog entries... no archive fee.

Archive fee is bull!