Sisterhood truly is one of the strongest, most cherishable bonds God blesses people with. Ever seen two sisters united? The bond is unshakeable! When a system said, “Not possible,” a sister answered, “Watch us,” and turned love into a community where everyone could belong. When Amanda was little, doctors told her parents something no family wanted to hear. Her older brother, Nick, had a rare chromosomal condition, so rare that he was the eleventh person in the world diagnosed with it.
Their family went through an arduous journey when it was about Nick’s health, as a formal diagnosis wasn’t given for a long time. With so little information, the doctors compared him to a person with Down Syndrome and said his life would likely be sad and limited. They even urged the family to place him in an institution. Amanda’s parents refused, and that was never on the table.
Decades later, Nick, who is 6’4″, recently celebrated his 41st birthday and lives a life filled with the things he loves. He had faced real health challenges, but he walks, talks, and brings light to every room. He’s playful by nature and never saw himself as “less than.” He doesn’t think in labels; he believes in possibilities, because his parents raised him to be himself, not a diagnosis. The power you have when surrounded by people who love you and cherish your presence is unmatched.
School gave Nick more than lessons; it gave him friends and a place to belong. After graduation, that social world disappeared, and Amanda watched his days grow quieter and lonelier. She saw the same pattern as a middle school special education teacher with her students. Community support often fades once the bell stops ringing, and families are left to piece together care independently.
In 2012, Amanda did something about it. She opened a nonprofit called Puzzle Pieces. It started small, 32 clients, four staff members, and a simple goal: create a safe, fun space where people with disabilities could build friendships, and give families trusted, trained support. One decade later, that tiny seed became a thriving community.
Puzzle Pieces now serves over 400 clients with a team of over 100. The programs have grown, too: vocational training, job placement, targeted autism services, behavior supports, residential living, and more real tools that build absolute independence. Amanda’s drive comes from home; she never thought her family was “different.”
Her parents ensured she and Nick had what they needed, even when it meant sacrifices no one else could see. Her mother, especially, modeled quiet strength and fierce advocacy. That example became Amanda’s compass. Every new program and long day was a way to honor what her mom did and stand beside other families walking the same road.
The vision was bigger than one building or one town. Amanda wants a community where people with disabilities are not an afterthought, but a first thought, invited, expected, and included. She talks about expanding Puzzle Pieces to other places, helping more cities build the supports she wished existed when Nick left school.
She wants more jobs, more seats at the table, more chances to belong. What makes Puzzle Pieces powerful isn’t only the services; it’s the love behind them. It’s a sister who watched her brother lose community and vowed to rebuild it. Its parents refused to give up. It’s a team that shows up daily believing people with disabilities deserve whole, joyful lives, because they do. Their story is a beautiful example of how supportive parents make you so powerful. Not just this through unity, you can bring in positive changes in the community. Every single voice matters!
