We’ve often said that there are many blessings on the journey of raising special children — compassion, appreciation for the little things in life, lifelong bonds with pharmacists and bartenders (we kid of course, well, sorta). We believe the greatest one, however, is the amazing people you meet along the way. Over the past seven years, we have had the privilege of traveling around the country and meeting the most loving and inspirational special needs families and children. One such family is the Duffley family of New Hampshire. We first met them when we were speaking at the Grace Curtis Conference in Connecticut. We had never heard of the Duffley family or their son Christopher who sang at the conference. We were amazed as we watched this beautiful then 10-year-old boy get up and sing Lean On Me. Christopher was no ordinary performer. He has autism and is blind. And, he had a very difficult start to life.
Christopher’s life began in May 2001 when he arrived 12 weeks early. At the time, he weighed just 1 pound and 12 ounces, and tested positive for cocaine, as a result of drug abuse by his biological parents. He spent five months in the hospital and was eventually placed in foster care in Florida. In 2003, he was adopted by Stephen Duffley and his lovely wife Christine, who was Christopher’s biological aunt. With the love of these wonderful people and his siblings, Christopher has flourished and developed into a happy young man with a talent for singing. Christopher’s talent has taken his family to many places around the country. From Fenway Park, to autism galas, to churches around the country, Christopher has warmed the hearts and souls of thousands of people. You can watch his amazing music videos on youtube, including this one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9jqI4svrNY.
Christopher was also blessed with a wonderful sense of humor. He demonstrates this in this hilarious video “Blind Autistic Brother Does My Makeup” with his beautiful sister Grace. Check it out and share the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8vQBJOaNDo. To learn more about Christopher and the Duffley Clan, visit his website http://christopherduffley.com.
Thank you for your blog post on NH’s Christopher Duffley. He really is a special child whose joy is contagious, and his family is just as special. When I need a boost, I often find myself on Christopher’s YouTube channel looking for a version of “Open My Heart.” It lifts me up every time!