By Kristine Thomas
Donna Crain’s life is richer because of her friendship with Sean Grady.
Almost every day, Crain said, Grady teaches her something – whether it’s how to play a video game, encouraging her to watch a new movie, sharing a fact he learned or just how to see the world in an another light.
“Sean has taught me to be patient and he has taught me not to be judgmental,” Crain said. “He’s taught me to be nice to everyone and how to laugh at life.”
Unfortunately, Crain said, some people often don’t extend the same courtesy to Grady. Too often, she said, they judge him for his disability, rather than his abilities.
Grady, 22, has Down syndrome. Crain first met him when he was in the third grade when she was his special education assistant. Now, Crain provides respite care for Grady a few days a week.
During the 2007-08 school year, Grady visited Crain at Eugene Field Elementary School while she was working in the special education room. Watching Grady interact with the children, Crain got the idea to ask him to volunteer at the school this year.
“He’s like a celebrity with all the kids,” Crain said. “They all get excited when they see him.”
Dana Pedersen, who is the special education teacher, said Grady helps out with several tasks in the classroom, adding he’s “very organized.”
The students in Pedersen’s class ask Grady to read to them, help them with a task, play basketball with them at recess or zip their coats before they go home.
Pedersen agrees with Crain that people with disabilities often are labeled for what they can’t do rather than what they can do.
“I think people really need to know that people who are special needs have a lot of abilities and they just need the chance to contribute to their community,” Pedersen said.
Not only does Grady volunteer at Eugene Field, he also volunteers with the local food bank and at Silverton Hospital. He works at American Family Video.
“It’s been a really good life lesson for people to know that someone with a disability can be productive in the community,” Pedersen said, adding Grady is a great worker, has no fear and is willing to try anything.
“He’s very patient,” Pedersen said. “He has no preconceived notions about people and he’s nice to everyone.”
While working on a project organizing material for Pedersen, two boys started playing with the material and undoing the work Grady had done.
All it took from Grady was a stern look with a slight smile to let the boys know it was time to stop, which they did.
Pedersen said she uses a smile or a frown on the students’ work charts to indicate the type of day they are having.
“When Sean sees a student is having a bad day, he tells them tomorrow will be better,” she said.
Grady is the son of Dr. Mike and Jenny Grady. His siblings are Nick, 30; Molly, 24 and Mihai, 19.
There are many adjectives Jenny Grady uses to describe her son – bright, funny, energetic, happy, helpful, social and curious.
“He loves people and people love him,” Jenny Grady said. “He just has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I have met.”
And in turn, people have responded to Sean’s kindness.
“When he was a student at Robert Frost, the students in his classroom asked if they could learn sign language because Sean was learning it because he has a hearing impairment,” Jenny Grady said.
At the end of the year, the students made a video with each student signing a message to Sean, she added.
“All the students worked to make sure Sean felt a part of the class,” she said.
Regardless of where he is or whom he is with, Sean feels comfortable, his mom said.
“Sean is unaware that there is anything different with him,” she said. “ He never feels like he is different and often doesn’t understand why he can’t go to college like his sister or brother.”
When Sean finished school, Jenny Grady said, for her, wondering what he could do next was scary.
“He’s very, very bright. He loves computers and is a bit obsessive compulsive – with everything in our house being alphabetized,” she said.
About three years ago, Sean Grady began working at American Family Video, alphabetizing returned videos and shelving them.
Peggy Benedict, who is the video store manager, said Sean Grady is an inspiration, a lot of fun and has a great personality.
“He’s energetic and he wants to learn as much as he can,” Benedict said. “He often does things better than the other employees and I will tell my other employees to watch how Sean does it and follow his example.”
Benedict encourages other employers to give people with special needs “a chance.”
“Sean has been a joy to work with,” she said, “and he knows a lot about movies because he enjoys researching them online.”
With the 112th annual Civil War game on Nov. 29 at Oregon State University, Sean Grady recently seized a moment to talk about the team he’s cheering for.
Spying a key ring with the University of Oregon logo, Grady gave a thumb’s down and a “Boo Ducks.” He’s a huge fan of the Oregon State Beavers.
Crain said Grady has many fans.
“Anytime I go anywhere with him like the grocery store, it takes twice as long because people stop him to say hello or talk,” Crain said. “He’s nice to everyone he meets.”
