Where It All Began: The Inspiration Behind Say Hello Threads

Hello!

We are Alana and Lindsay, the owners of Say Hello Threads! We wanted to introduce ourselves to our followers, both old and new. Alana is currently the Director of Engagement at a local non-profit which serves youth with disabilities. Lindsay is a School Counselor in the alternative education setting. We are avid travelers, coffee drinkers and sunny day lovers.

Say Hello Threads was inspired by our son, Brayden. Our name comes from the quote "Instead of 'Don't Stare' let's start teaching 'Say Hello.'" Some of you know that Brayden was born premature and stayed in the NICU for 2 weeks. About a year into his life, it became clear that he had some major delays as he was not meeting most of his milestones. He was diagnosed around 2 years old with Apraxia of Speech and Dyspraxia and we began to notice that he would gain words and then lose them. I remember wanting so badly for him to talk. Brayden was just shy of 3 years old and non-verbal. He fell constantly and was always moving; he truly could not sit still. Brayden was diagnosed next with Sensory Processing Disorder. It was around 4 years old when he picked up the diagnoses of Intellectual Disabilities and Global Developmental Delays. 

Brayden is now 13 years old. He is still non-verbal and severely intellectually disabled. Brayden is an incredibly fun and loving kid! He truly can light up any room and demands that EVERYONE be included. His interests include playing basketball, soccer, football and really, any sport! If he's not playing a sport, he's watching a sport. He also loves music! If we had to guess, his favorite season is summer since the pool is open and the ocean water is warm. Brayden is also passionate about Schitt's Creek - don't judge. Brayden has an older brother named John (17), his dad, Brian, and his favorite puppy, Aspen Mae. They are huge parts of his life and are sure to make appearances on our page.

The Say Hello Threads mission is to start meaningful conversations, build community and inspire advocacy. We remember the shock and the not knowing where to turn or who to talk to that might understand the diagnoses we were handed. Now we share openly our celebrations and our struggles and hope to create a strong network and community so that no one is ever alone in their journey!