Natasha and Xavier
“My son, Xavier, inspires me every day.”
In 2020, at the height of the COVID lockdown, Natasha’s son Xavier was diagnosed with autism. “I was not upset that my son was diagnosed with autism because I was already in the field and it made me know, ‘I got this’. I wouldn’t have had him if it wasn’t for a reason – God chose me for a reason. But it was stressful because I didn’t know what I was going to do for him and the world was still locked down.”
At the time, Natasha and her husband were living in Philadelphia and struggling to find quality services for Xavier, which were all virtual because of COVID-19. Eventually, they decided to move to a suburb in Pennsylvania in the hopes of finding better services there. “I was grateful that my experience at Bancroft taught me what to look for as I continued my search.”
Knowing the importance of early intervention, Natasha made the tough decision to leave Bancroft so she could devote all her energies to getting her son the best care. She didn’t want to give less than 100% at Bancroft and finding the right services for her son was all-consuming. In the end, Natasha found a wonderful school for her son, run by a mother who had twins with autism, that offered multiple services to help Xavier thrive. It was a perfect fit.
It took about a year, but eventually Xavier was settled and thriving in his new school. “When I took him to the doctors, they told me there was nothing more I could be doing for Xavier that I wasn’t already doing. For me, that meant I could go back to Bancroft, give it my all and still be the mom my son needed. I was always talking about Bancroft, even after I left. It holds a special place in my heart. I have friends and family that work here also, and that whole year I was gone they would always say, “Girl, you just need to go back!”
So, she did. Currently, Natasha works as Senior Program Associate at Club Ridge, a residential home in Willingboro. She loves being back with ‘her guys’ and seeing what the future might look like for her son as he gets older. Xavier is doing great also. In fact, he recently transitioned into district kindergarten!
“Bancroft helps me be a better mom to Xavier and Xavier helps me be a better team member at Bancroft. Working here has taught me so much about patience and I’m so glad because I see other parents struggle with that sometimes. I’ve also learned how important it is to give back to the people who support your child and let them know they’re appreciated. It goes a long way. I’ve made it my mission to do that for every single person who cares for Xavier.”
When you hear Natasha speak about her son, it’s obvious how much she loves and adores him. “He brings me so much joy and teaches me something new every day. He is so full of life!”
When asked what it is about Xavier that inspires her so much, Natasha responded, “Xavier inspires me because he is able to be himself every day no matter what. I love that about my son. It doesn’t matter that the world’s watching him, he’s always going to just be himself.”
Natasha shares a powerful message in this video: Autism is beautiful, not something to fear. Her son, Xavier, inspires her every day.
