Naomi's Story

At only two months of age, the parents of Tiny Light Naomi knew that something wasn’t quite right about their little girl. After getting their Doctor to perform some tests, they learned that Naomi had epilepsy and that her eyes hadn’t fully matured.

Medication was able to keep little Naomi’s seizures at bay, and eventually her eyes matured. Just before the age of three, Naomi was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Mom, Esther, says, “The hardest part of this journey thus far has to be grieving the family ideals I had thought I would have.” At just over five years old, Esther finally got to hear Naomi say ‘Mommy’ and ‘Daddy.’ After waiting so long for her daughter to utter these words, hearing them for the first time was so beautiful and made her cry.

Naomi has a wonderful sense of humour. She wakes up every day happy and with a smile. She loves to swim, jump on the trampoline, swing on the swings, and being sung to. She also loves to be tickled and going for walks. Naomi’s parents worry about what the future holds for their little girl, but have learned to focus and celebrate every one of her victories. They are hopeful that their Tiny Light, now six-and-a-half years old, will continue to progress through therapy. Although being diagnosed with Autism was “heart crushing” to hear, Naomi’s parents have found comfort in finding people who understand what they are going through.

Written by Valerie Bush

Images Captured by Anelle Richardson Photography