05/24/2026
How has it been 10 years? I don’t share much about my experience raising two sons with disabilities but in honor of the 10-year anniversary since the launch of The Pierce Family Fragile X Foundation I wrote this reflection that many I know can relate to. Our mission continues and our job is never done.
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𝑨 𝑭𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓’𝒔 𝑱𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒚: 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒉𝒂𝒎, 𝑹𝒆𝒊𝒅, 𝑭𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝑿, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒐𝒑𝒆
There are moments in life that change you forever.
For me, becoming a father to Graham and Reid changed everything—but not in the ways I expected.
Like most parents, I had dreams of what fatherhood might look like. I imagined milestones, sports, school achievements, independence, and all the moments parents quietly picture when they hold their children for the first time.
Then came the diagnosis: Fragile X syndrome.
In an instant, life looked different.
The path ahead became filled with unknowns, therapies, doctor appointments, school meetings, advocacy, and questions no parent ever feels fully prepared to answer. There was fear. There was sadness. There was uncertainty about what the future might hold.
But over time, something else emerged too: perspective.
And love in its purest form.
Raising Graham and Reid has been the greatest challenge of my life—but also my greatest privilege.
Fragile X has taught us patience, resilience, and how to celebrate victories that others may overlook.
The highs on this journey are hard to explain unless you’ve lived something similar.
A breakthrough after months—or years—of hard work.
A moment of growth that others might see as small but feels monumental to us.
The joy of hearing laughter, seeing progress, experiencing connection, or simply witnessing your children shine in their own unique ways.
Graham and Reid have taught me to slow down and appreciate moments differently. They have reminded me that success doesn’t always follow the timeline we imagined and that comparison has no place in unconditional love.
They are funny, loving, resilient, and endlessly unique.
And they have changed me for the better.
Of course, this road hasn’t always been easy.
There have been difficult days filled with uncertainty, exhaustion, and worry about the future. Parenting children with special needs can sometimes feel isolating. There are moments when you wish others understood the emotional weight families carry—the constant advocacy, the planning, the hope, and sometimes the heartbreak.
Sometimes people don’t always show up, know how to help, or what to say, and often it’s because some people are not understanding the journey and that’s okay.
At the same time, there have been so many people who have shown up and who have embraced Graham and Reid, supported our family, and stood with us in ways bigger than they may even realize.
And that support is part of what sparked something bigger than ourselves.
What began as a deeply personal challenge became a mission: hope for a cure.
Over the last 10 years, our fundraising efforts for Fragile X have become more than events or donations—they have become a reflection of love, community, and belief that progress is possible.
There is something incredibly powerful about watching people rally around a cause that matters so deeply to your family.
Every event attended.
Every dollar donated.
Every sponsor, volunteer, and friend who showed up.
Every person who helped spread awareness.
It all mattered.
Because fundraising was never just about money—it was about hope.
Hope for better treatments.
Hope for more understanding.
Hope for stronger support systems.
And ultimately, hope that one day families facing Fragile X will have answers we never had.
Ten years later, I look back with so much gratitude.
Not because the journey has been easy—but because of everything it has taught us.
I’ve learned that strength often comes from places you never expected.
I’ve learned that community matters more than perfection.
I’ve learned that joy can coexist with struggle.
Most of all, I’ve learned from Graham and Reid.
They have taught me patience, perspective, resilience.
And a kind of unconditional love that changes how you see the world.
If I could go back and tell myself something on the day we first heard the words Fragile X syndrome, it would simply be this:
You will worry.
You will struggle.
You will grow in ways you never imagined.
But you will also laugh more deeply, love more fiercely, and discover a purpose bigger than yourself.
Because being Graham and Reid’s Dad has not been the journey I expected.
It has been something far more meaningful.
A journey of love, growth, advocacy, hope—and the unwavering belief that brighter days are still ahead.
For Graham and Reid—thank you for teaching me what truly matters. And for everyone who has walked beside us over the last 10 years, thank you for believing in hope with us. 💙💙
