The uncertainty with Rett in general is tough. Watching Gray fight every day, however, was truly remarkable. The days in the hospital room were long, but after 22 days, he made a full recovery. After his fight to be here, I recognized that it wouldn't be fair to him to keep him in a bubble anymore. So, in spite of his recent bout with illness, we made sure we got doctor approval, because we knew we had to go!

24 days after he was discharged, we were on our way to Island Dolphin Care (IDC) in Key Largo, FL, on a beautiful sunny day, 79 degrees, low humidity. It was just the trip we all needed.

IDC is a special place with kind people. The property is serene, and walking in to see the Tesler family was a dream. I think it really helped to be with people who just get it. A hug hello was all I needed to know they knew what we had been through, and they were there for us. For the first time in a long time, I wondered, what if this works? It felt right, and as if we were supposed to be there. We were finally going to do something fun and out of our comfort zone!

We got Grayson into a wetsuit and allowed the IDC staff to hold him in the water. I allowed myself to feel optimistic as I watched him being pulled on the belly of a dolphin, eyes open wide. That was the moment I said "WOW, he's really doing this.” And that was just the beginning. I teared up as I saw a smile on his face. Being able to do something with both Vivi and Gray together was a dream and so special to see siblings genuinely enjoying the same experience together.