When Brightway Living and Learning, formally Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) became a part of Irene Arricale’s life in 2000, she was a young mother of two children navigating a new diagnosis and searching for answers, support and hope for her son’s future. Gary Ramos had been diagnosed with autism at two years old, and the family had recently moved from Queens to Suffolk County in search of the right program to support him.
That is when Irene enrolled Gary in the Young Autism Program at DDI, now the Brightway Early Childhood Program, because she says it offered the most well-rounded therapy and it came with the decades-long acclaimed reputation of [Brightway]. What Irene found was far more than a program for her son. She found a community.
“As a young mom facing this extremely challenging path, [Brightway] didn’t just offer a successful program for Gary, but it offered the whole family a community of teachers, administrators and other families to help us navigate all the overwhelming elements that come with autism.”
Through parent trainings, sibling groups, dinner dances, walks and family events, Irene and her children formed lasting bonds with staff and other families who understood their journey. Her daughter found connection with other children who shared the experience of having a sibling with autism, while Irene found support from other mothers walking a similar path.
“[Brightway] became our village,” she said.
Today, Gary is 28 years old and continues to thrive in Brightway’s Adult Residential Program. More than two decades later, the organization remains a constant source of support for the entire family. For Irene, Brightway’s impact reaches far beyond services and programs. It is about relationships, belonging and unwavering support through every stage of life.
“I am forever grateful to [Brightway] and all the incredible staff there for literally holding my family together in so many ways for over 25 years.”
By
Brightway
