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Jordan and Carter may be different ages, but they share the same fun-loving spirit. The two boys hit it off right away when they met at Easter Seals Family Camp in 2024, and their friendship quickly became one of the highlights of the week.
Carter’s younger sister, Jessica, is 8 years old and was born with a rare genetic disorder known as Pitt Hopkins syndrome. The two siblings were attending Camp Merrywood for the first time with their parents, Nicole and Steve, when they met Jordan and his mom, Nadia.
“We all originally met in the dining room,” says Nicole. “Jordan was drawn toward the toys Jessica was playing with. But it wasn’t long before he and Carter connected over their goofy, playful personalities.” The boys ended up spending much of the session bonding over games, their creative food experiments, and the silly words and jokes that sent them into fits of laughter.
“At Easter Seals camp, everything is accessible. And I just love that I don’t have to say ‘no’ to anything. Which is really an important part.”
After the session came to an end, the families managed to stay in touch and came back this summer for another adventure together at Merrywood. They had the chance to try out activities like kayaking, swimming and even archery. “But the coolest part of camp,” Jordan shares, “was getting to paint Carter’s dad from head to toe and stick feathers on him.”
Jordan, who is also 8 years old, was born with cerebral palsy. The condition affects his mobility, and he primarily uses a wheelchair to get around. It’s one of the reasons he and Nadia have been hesitant to apply to other camps: “We always worry that he would be rejected because of his disability, or we would have to pay some exponential amount of money to be able to have someone attend with him to provide support … But at Easter Seals camp, everything is accessible. And I just love that I don’t have to say ‘no’ to anything. Which is really an important part.”
“It’s the same for us,” shares Nicole. “There’s things that we normally can’t do because of the amount of work it would take with Jessica. But at camp, we are able to try more things that are open to us, like archery. I never would have thought to put a bow and arrow in Jessica’s hands. But now she loves archery, and we are even taking part in a local archery tournament soon.”
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Another meaningful part of camp for the families was the sense of inclusion and acceptance they felt from the staff and other families.“For Jordan, I think it’s just knowing that no one is staring at him because he’s in a wheelchair. At camp, everyone is in the same boat,” says Nadia.
“And for Carter,”Nicole adds,“it’s nice because the other siblings at camp, they’re going through the same things he’s going through. When we are in public, it really upsets him when people stare at Jessica. So being somewhere where everyone is similar and nobody is staring, he can feel comfortable.”
At 14, Carter also took part in evening sibling time, a chance for the kids to have fun with counsellors and enjoy some time away from their parents. “It’s just great not having to worry about anything while we are there,” says Nicole. “Carter could be off playing water polo or making s’mores and I know he’ll be fine.”
Making s’mores is just one of the many highlights of the evening campfires that both families enjoyed. “What I love about the campfires is that the kids get to all interact with each other. So Carter, being a sibling, can go and talk to the other children.”
“There’s things that we normally can’t do because of the amount of work it would take with Jessica. But at camp, we are able to try more things that are open to us, like archery.”
“And Jordan too, because he doesn’t have siblings,” Nadia adds. “It’s really nice for him to be around all of the siblings at camp that are not uncomfortable about him having a disability and don’t have questions about him being in a wheelchair.”
While the accessible facilities and activities make camp possible for families, it’s the sense of belonging and the connections they build that make it unforgettable. For both families, Easter Seals Family Camp has become more than just a summer getaway — it feels like a community where everyone is understood and accepted.
As Nicole reflects on their time together, she recalls a moment that perfectly captured what the experience means to them. “When we were driving home after leaving camp this summer,” she shares, “Carter turned to me and said, ‘It feels like we’re leaving home.’”
Moments like these are made possible by donors whose generosity helps create a place where families can connect, feel understood, and make memories they’ll cherish for years to come. Thank you for supporting Easter Seals camps.