Lawhorn’s Lawence: Finding independence

Melissa Franklin always has a lot going on.

In the coming weeks there’s sand art class, rumba, a nutrition class, regular meetings of a group that gathers for coffee, socializing and dancing. There’s also a trip to the state fair in Hutchinson, a performance of “Mary Poppins” in Topeka, and recently there was the vacation to Branson, Mo., and the trip to Washington, D.C. Of course, the 34-year-old Franklin is like the rest of us too. Rise and shine each morning to get to work by 8 a.m. for her shift at a production center.

Melissa Franklin, 34, and her mother, Sue Zupancic, share a moment recently at Cottonwood Inc., where Melissa is a client.

But of all the activities that fill Melissa’s calendar, there is one that stands out to her mother.

“She called me and told me how she had walked from her house to CVS and back,” said Sue Zupancic, her mother. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Yes, this is a different type of independence day story.

•••

Sue will never forget the ponytailed doctor who grabbed her hand.

Melissa was about 5 years old at that time. Sue and Melissa had seen many doctors. Melissa was like all children when they are born: perfect. Eventually she had to have some ear tubes put in and other such procedures that aren’t that uncommon. For awhile, it was assumed that’s why Melissa wasn’t progressing at a rate like other kids.

At some point, though, a mother knows. There was something wrong.

“My first thought was, ‘How do I fix this?'” Sue says. “We went to a lot of neurologists to figure out what happened and how we fix this.”

Sue remembers that Melissa liked the doctor with the ponytail. He was handsome and fun. But that’s not why Sue will never forget him.

“He sat down with me, held my hand and said you are looking for why and how to fix this,” Sue says. “He said it is not fixable. You need to figure out how to make this the best it can be. A light came on in that moment.”

For the past 12 years, Melissa has been a client of Cottonwood Inc., the Lawrence-based nonprofit that provides assistance to people with developmental disabilities. Melissa lives in a home with three other Cottonwood clients. A staff member, called a house parent, comes by from about 4 to 10 p.m. to do some cooking and cleaning and other such tasks, but otherwise the women live on their own. They get up each morning and get on their various buses to take them to work.

Melissa has worked at places out in the community like the fast-food restaurant Freddy’s. One of her roommates works at On the Border Mexican restaurant. Currently, Melissa works solely at Cottonwood’s production center on 31st Street, which does packaging work for a variety of companies.

And, in her spare time, she and her roommates walk up to CVS to get a Coke or a candy bar. Sitting next to her mother, Melissa assures her that it is all right.

“You just have to watch where you are going, and don’t talk to strangers,” she says.

Then she gives her mother one of her trademark smiles. Her mother gives one back.

•••

These days, Melissa is getting attention for being an advocate too. Melissa and Sue were among a small group that went to Washington, D.C., to meet with federal lawmakers about workplace issues relating to the disabled, particularly urging leaders to not change a law that will make it more expensive for companies to contract with organizations like Cottonwood.

She comes by the role of advocate naturally. Sue says she’s long been an advocate for a unique outlook on life. Walk with Melissa for just a bit, and try to keep track of the number of waves she gives.

“She knows everybody in this building and everything that is going on,” her mother says. “And before she was so shy.”

Melissa will stop and straighten a friend’s collar, give a hug to another, ask how work was for a third. And she’ll use her cellphone too. Sue laughs now at the concern she and others had that Melissa would never be able to learn how to use a cellphone.

“Oh my gosh, she knows how to use a cellphone,” Sue says.

Sometimes she’ll use it like any other daughter will: She calls mom to hit her up for some money. But there are other calls that so many of us parents can only wish for.

“She called me up one day and said, ‘I just love my life,'” Sue says. “To hear that from any child, but from Melissa … ”

It has been a long time since that doctor held Sue’s hand. She too loves the life that has happened since.

“I know Melissa has made me a much better person because of who she is,” says Sue, who has carried for decades a card with her that says ‘patience.’ “I can’t imagine anyone being more blessed to have someone in their family. She has taught me to look at life in a much more positive way.”

Sue believes Melissa can help others too.

“Melissa is a great example of what can happen to somebody’s life if they have the opportunity,” Sue says. “Melissa 12 years ago when she started at Cottonwood and Melissa today — there is such a transformation. I’m really at a loss for words at how happy it makes me to know that she has the life she wants to have.”

Having the life we want to have. May we all have such a happy independence day.

— Each Sunday, Lawhorn’s Lawrence focuses on the people, places or past of Lawrence and the surrounding area. If you have a story idea, send it to Chad at clawhorn@ljworld.com.