Everyday Inspiration: PE Teacher Guides Son Through Rare Genetic Disorder

Everyday Inspirations is a series that features people in Patch communities who inspire others through their work, or people who have faced extraordinary situations and grown from them. They have been featured by other people in the community that have been inspired by the nominees.

Name: Megan Gwudz
Town: Niantic, CT
Nominated by: Gregory Gwudz

Why is this person an "Everyday Inspiration?" 
Wondeful wife and mother. Six months ago, we gave birth to our first child, our son Wade. Wade spent 14 days in the NICU in Hartford before we found out that he was born with an extremely rare genetic disorder, MECP2 Duplication Syndrome. This has affected only about 60 boys in the U.S.

Upon traveling to Boston Children's Medical, we were told Wade was the youngest boy they have ever seen with this disorder. Very little information is available on his case.

Megan continues to amaze me and the people around her everyday. She is an unbelievable mother. She works with Wade everyday, and keeps track of his many doctors appointments. She does all of this while still teaching PE at Waterford HS.

With all of her work, Wade has made tremendous strides in his short life and continues to amaze all of us.

Has the nominee's life been changed in an extraordinary way? 

Megan's life has changed dramatically. We both learned never to take anything for granted and not to sweat the small stuff. Megan has become a source of strength for her new family, and continues to provide this unwavering strength everyday. 

How does this person work to make others' lives better?

Besides her family directly, she serves as an inspiration to me and our friends and family. She is a wonderful PE teacher, and her students love her. She has not allowed our circumstances with our son to inhibit her teaching in any way. She is profressional and is truly an inspiration.