Warren Joseph shared a name with his father and grandfather. His first word was ball, and he ate his peas one at a time. For this, he earned the nickname Birdie. He was just like every other happy toddler, with aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, parents and grandparents that adored him. The moment we noticed a change was when he refused to walk. Naturally, doctors thought he was just a quirky baby; he had no shortage of people ready and willing to pick him up for a cuddle! When we found out he was sick, he was two years old.
You’d have never met a baby so happy. Even when his health got worse, he always had a smile for Mikey, and for Spongebob, and for his family. We took several trips to Orlando, where he got to meet his favorites in person. A smile from Birdie was his only mode of communication, and we never passed up an opportunity to see him speak.
Birdie died in 2009, at eight years old. Families like ours never take a moment for granted. Families like ours have felt love and loss in every moment. Thanks to The MLD Foundation, families like ours have some hope.