Greg Gaver is sitting at his family's dining room table in Granger, speaking congenially about his high hopes for his future, when his attention abruptly shifts and his head swivels toward his mother.
“Can I have dinner?” the 21-year-old asks intently.
His mother, Debbie McKissick, nods and quickly replies, “You’re going
to have some leftover lasagna and a big salad and some fruit.”
Greg’s dinner is a little earlier than normal on this late afternoon,
but Debbie knows how important it is to avoid an emotional meltdown.
The Goshen teacher steps into the attached kitchen, removes the chain
padlocked around the family’s refrigerator and sets about pulling out
and preparing food, all the while speaking with a reporter about a
syndrome that in many ways rules their family’s life.
Greg’s eyes are trained on his mother as she dishes out the lasagna
left from the rest of the family’s dinner the night before. He says
quickly, “You don’t have to warm it up, I’ll eat it like that.” But
Debbie responds, “No, I’m going to heat it up a little first.”
She pours some salad into a bowl. “Can I have some ranch, Mama?” he
asks, and she removes a bottle of dressing from the refrigerator.
“Will you mix it up a little?”
Greg devours his dinner quickly, no savoring or small talk involved.
After unlocking the pantry next to the refrigerator, Debbie retrieves
“Can I have dinner?” the 21-year-old asks intently.
His mother, Debbie McKissick, nods and quickly replies, “You’re going
to have some leftover lasagna and a big salad and some fruit.”
Greg’s dinner is a little earlier than normal on this late afternoon,
but Debbie knows how important it is to avoid an emotional meltdown.
The Goshen teacher steps into the attached kitchen, removes the chain
padlocked around the family’s refrigerator and sets about pulling out
and preparing food, all the while speaking with a reporter about a
syndrome that in many ways rules their family’s life.
Greg’s eyes are trained on his mother as she dishes out the lasagna
left from the rest of the family’s dinner the night before. He says
quickly, “You don’t have to warm it up, I’ll eat it like that.” But
Debbie responds, “No, I’m going to heat it up a little first.”
She pours some salad into a bowl. “Can I have some ranch, Mama?” he
asks, and she removes a bottle of dressing from the refrigerator.
“Will you mix it up a little?”
Greg devours his dinner quickly, no savoring or small talk involved.
After unlocking the pantry next to the refrigerator, Debbie retrieves
