The Haynes Family

Told by Sean Haynes (Dad)

We are so grateful for everyone at Jill’s House Rocky Top Camp. You can see their hearts and how much they love our kids. Everything about Jill’s House is just incredible.

Beck was around 18 months old when we first noticed a lack of eye contact, and he was only able to communicate minimally. By the time he was 3, his daycare recommended that we pursue testing. After he was evaluated, we enrolled him in early intervention services through an ABA school, where he received support for two years before starting elementary school. This early intervention set him up for success.

Beck has been attending Jill’s House for almost four years. Before that, he had never been enrolled in an overnight program. He attended a day program through our church, but it didn’t offer overnight stays. We heard from other parents in our community group that Jill’s House could be a great option for Beck, so we decided to look into it.

It’s funny—when we were asked to consider sharing our Family Story, I immediately remembered that first time we dropped off Beck like it had just happened!

I remember driving away feeling so overwhelmed and crying. My wife was working that night so I dropped off Beck alone. I don’t really know if I was crying because I was so nervous or grateful. But I remember all those emotions hitting all at once, because Beck had never been away from us!

And, if I’m honest, I never believed for a moment that he would sleep away from us. He struggled with sleep for a long period of time, and I just kept thinking, “There is no way this is going to work!” I had all the doubts in my mind!

But Beck is very trusting of us. He and I hike a lot together, and I remember one time we got lost on the trail. I kept saying, “Just one more minute, we’re almost there.” Meanwhile, he was just so trusting of me. He kept following me.

So when it was time for him to go to Jill’s House for the weekend, he was so trusting of us. He was ready to go and trusted that this was right for him. That weekend was just awesome!

Now, when Beck goes to Jill’s House we look forward to sleep, waking in the morning and lingering while we enjoy coffee and talking to one another. We usually don’t plan to do a lot over those weekends except time together.

Beck’s favorite thing about camp is the camp counselors. He has formed a special bond with some of them. While he doesn’t participate in many activities—he’s not competitive and worries about his balance—he’s not interested in the high-energy weekends, and he doesn’t like crafts. But he loves spending time with the counselors. The social interactions Beck has while he’s at camp are so good!

We are so grateful for everyone at Jill’s House Rocky Top Camp. You can see their hearts and how much they love our kids. When we arrive at camp they are waiting for Beck and openly welcome him. Allowing Beck the space for him to build relationships is incredible. Knowing that Beck is safe, incredible! Everything about Jill’s House is just incredible. But the respite is invaluable!