Danny's Disney Experience
Many of us are accustomed to taking vacations, or even stay-cations, on a yearly basis. Whether traveling internationally, exploring a new state, visiting historic places, relaxing at the beach or at home, and everything in between, time away from work and everyday routines is an important part of life. Vacations allow us to relax and reset, have fun and explore personal interests, and learn more about the world outside of our own spaces, cultures, and communities.
If asked to recount a favorite trip or vacation, many of us will have one – or even multiple – that come to mind. With the memory of your favorite or last vacation top of mind, imagine this: you don’t take a vacation again for the next 40 years.
While the idea of not taking a vacation for multiple decades sounds absurd to some, long time periods without a vacation is the reality for many people who experience disabilities. For Danny, a person supported by InVision, this was his reality, until recently. Driven by a reminder that life is short, and we should do things we enjoy as often as we can, Danny’s dad John, said “Take Danny on vacation!” In collaboration with John, Danny’s direct support team, and InVision Foundation, Danny had the opportunity to take his first vacation in over 40 years.
Zena Ezekiel, team leader of Danny’s support team at InVision, began supporting Danny at a state facility back in 2009, and has continued supporting Danny for the last 16 years. When the facility Danny was staying at closed in 2018, John asked Zena to continue providing supports for his son as he transitioned into our Residential Program. Originally, Zena planned to support Danny during his first year with InVision, but with their strong history and health-related changes in Danny’s life, InVision became the pair’s new home. The relationship established between Zena and Danny was magic in the making from the start and has grown to be a reflection of the power of relationships, customized supports, and the direct support workforce.
While John lives locally – visiting four times a week to spend time with Danny – Zena’s own family has become a safe and supportive space for Danny, and they often spend holidays together. When John approached Zena earlier this year with interest in planning a trip for Danny, Zena and her team jumped right on board. With Danny’s longstanding love for Mickey Mouse, the destination was a no-brainer – Danny was going to Disney World!
This past September, Danny and his support team of Zena and direct support professionals (DSPs) Maurice Sako and Lorvenskey Jean-Gilles, made their way to Virginia to catch the auto train to Florida. While the group was faced with a few challenges at first causing a delay in their travels, the team quickly problem-solved and were off to Florida within 24 hours.
Determined to make the most of the trip despite the delay, when they arrived in Florida, the group dropped off their belongings at Disney’s Coronata hotel and headed straight for the parks. For the next seven days, Danny had the time of his life exploring Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, as well as Universal Epic.
From Universal Epic’s Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, and Dark Universe; Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safari, reptile shows, and jungle cruises; to Magic Kingdom’s rides, parades, and theater shows, Danny adventured around the parks equipped with an unfaltering, radiant smile.
Highlights from the trip include meet-and-greets with Disney characters – complete with autographs in Danny’s autograph book and photos for his Disney photo book – and breakfast with Daffy and Donald Duck, Goofy, and Minnie Mouse. Oh, and did we mention the souvenirs? Danny’s Disney experience was complete with Mickey Mouse ears, Mickey themed shirts and fanny pack, as well as pens and a notebook for one of his favorite hobbies – writing!
“For me, Danny seeing Mickey Mouse and the other characters was the best part of the trip,” Zena shared. “He was so excited that people were seeing him, and they were so kind. Danny loved taking pictures with everyone, and seeing Danny so happy was the most important part for me. Of course, the initial challenges were difficult to navigate, but all that didn’t matter once Danny was happy. He couldn’t smile any bigger! It was just great.”
While ensuring Danny’s safe transition from the wheelchair he uses onto the teacup ride, Zena noticed people clapping but thought nothing of it. When they got off the ride, she was approached by a woman who asked to speak with her. Funny enough, this woman and her family reside locally in Pennsylvania – what a small world!
As the woman started telling Zena about annual trips to Disney with her granddaughter – a person who experiences disabilities and uses a wheelchair – she mentioned that she had never thought to put her granddaughter on a ride. She conveyed how amazed she was at how well InVision’s team treated Danny. As they were talking, the granddaughter reached out to hug Zena, and was stopped by her grandmother, who cited others expressing negative responses to her granddaughter. Being the person that Zena is, she assured the woman that she was happy to give a hug and embraced the granddaughter with open arms.
When the woman expressed an emotional response to the interaction, Zena left her with a powerful message, saying “You should demand that people be kind to her. She’s human, just like you and me.” Zena and her team then helped the woman and her granddaughter board the ride to enjoy together.
“I always tell my team, you never know who is watching you, and the impact you can make,” Zena said. “It’s just that simple. They had been following us from ride to ride, and she waited just to tell us how amazing we were for putting Danny on a ride. And I told her; this is our job. We are supposed to enrich people’s lives!”
It’s no secret that the responsibilities of DSPs are not always easy. Stories such as Danny’s and Zena's are a true testament to the magic of the work we do at InVision. From the relationships we build, our programs and services, to the impact we create expanding far and wide: this is what we stand for at InVision Human Services. Treating people in all walks of life with kindness and respect, and inspiring awareness, acceptance, and change.
A huge thank you to Zena, Maurice, and Lorvenskey, John, and InVision Foundation for making this vacation possible for Danny. We couldn’t be more excited for Danny, and we hope there are plans for more vacations in the future! An additional thank you to Danny’s team of DSPs for their embodiment of InVision’s guiding principles in all that they do. Together, we will continue to build upon our vision of a world where all people are heard, valued, and their life visions honored, a reality. Just like Danny’s Disney experience.
InVision Foundation raises money to support the development of person-driven services for people who experience disabilities in their pursuit of meaningful lives. For more information about our funding programs and ways to donate, please visit the Foundation page on our website.
If asked to recount a favorite trip or vacation, many of us will have one – or even multiple – that come to mind. With the memory of your favorite or last vacation top of mind, imagine this: you don’t take a vacation again for the next 40 years.
While the idea of not taking a vacation for multiple decades sounds absurd to some, long time periods without a vacation is the reality for many people who experience disabilities. For Danny, a person supported by InVision, this was his reality, until recently. Driven by a reminder that life is short, and we should do things we enjoy as often as we can, Danny’s dad John, said “Take Danny on vacation!” In collaboration with John, Danny’s direct support team, and InVision Foundation, Danny had the opportunity to take his first vacation in over 40 years.
Danny & Zena: A Meaningful Relationship
Zena Ezekiel, team leader of Danny’s support team at InVision, began supporting Danny at a state facility back in 2009, and has continued supporting Danny for the last 16 years. When the facility Danny was staying at closed in 2018, John asked Zena to continue providing supports for his son as he transitioned into our Residential Program. Originally, Zena planned to support Danny during his first year with InVision, but with their strong history and health-related changes in Danny’s life, InVision became the pair’s new home. The relationship established between Zena and Danny was magic in the making from the start and has grown to be a reflection of the power of relationships, customized supports, and the direct support workforce.While John lives locally – visiting four times a week to spend time with Danny – Zena’s own family has become a safe and supportive space for Danny, and they often spend holidays together. When John approached Zena earlier this year with interest in planning a trip for Danny, Zena and her team jumped right on board. With Danny’s longstanding love for Mickey Mouse, the destination was a no-brainer – Danny was going to Disney World!
Danny’s Vacation to Disney World
This past September, Danny and his support team of Zena and direct support professionals (DSPs) Maurice Sako and Lorvenskey Jean-Gilles, made their way to Virginia to catch the auto train to Florida. While the group was faced with a few challenges at first causing a delay in their travels, the team quickly problem-solved and were off to Florida within 24 hours. Determined to make the most of the trip despite the delay, when they arrived in Florida, the group dropped off their belongings at Disney’s Coronata hotel and headed straight for the parks. For the next seven days, Danny had the time of his life exploring Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, as well as Universal Epic.
From Universal Epic’s Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, How to Train Your Dragon, and Dark Universe; Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safari, reptile shows, and jungle cruises; to Magic Kingdom’s rides, parades, and theater shows, Danny adventured around the parks equipped with an unfaltering, radiant smile.
Highlights from the trip include meet-and-greets with Disney characters – complete with autographs in Danny’s autograph book and photos for his Disney photo book – and breakfast with Daffy and Donald Duck, Goofy, and Minnie Mouse. Oh, and did we mention the souvenirs? Danny’s Disney experience was complete with Mickey Mouse ears, Mickey themed shirts and fanny pack, as well as pens and a notebook for one of his favorite hobbies – writing! “For me, Danny seeing Mickey Mouse and the other characters was the best part of the trip,” Zena shared. “He was so excited that people were seeing him, and they were so kind. Danny loved taking pictures with everyone, and seeing Danny so happy was the most important part for me. Of course, the initial challenges were difficult to navigate, but all that didn’t matter once Danny was happy. He couldn’t smile any bigger! It was just great.”
The Magical Message of Kindness: 900 Miles From Home
While recounting the trip, Zena shared a story that emphasizes the magical message of kindness, and a message we all collectively share at InVision: people who experience disabilities are no different than anyone else and deserve to be treated kindly.While ensuring Danny’s safe transition from the wheelchair he uses onto the teacup ride, Zena noticed people clapping but thought nothing of it. When they got off the ride, she was approached by a woman who asked to speak with her. Funny enough, this woman and her family reside locally in Pennsylvania – what a small world! As the woman started telling Zena about annual trips to Disney with her granddaughter – a person who experiences disabilities and uses a wheelchair – she mentioned that she had never thought to put her granddaughter on a ride. She conveyed how amazed she was at how well InVision’s team treated Danny. As they were talking, the granddaughter reached out to hug Zena, and was stopped by her grandmother, who cited others expressing negative responses to her granddaughter. Being the person that Zena is, she assured the woman that she was happy to give a hug and embraced the granddaughter with open arms.
When the woman expressed an emotional response to the interaction, Zena left her with a powerful message, saying “You should demand that people be kind to her. She’s human, just like you and me.” Zena and her team then helped the woman and her granddaughter board the ride to enjoy together.
“I always tell my team, you never know who is watching you, and the impact you can make,” Zena said. “It’s just that simple. They had been following us from ride to ride, and she waited just to tell us how amazing we were for putting Danny on a ride. And I told her; this is our job. We are supposed to enrich people’s lives!”
It’s no secret that the responsibilities of DSPs are not always easy. Stories such as Danny’s and Zena's are a true testament to the magic of the work we do at InVision. From the relationships we build, our programs and services, to the impact we create expanding far and wide: this is what we stand for at InVision Human Services. Treating people in all walks of life with kindness and respect, and inspiring awareness, acceptance, and change.
A huge thank you to Zena, Maurice, and Lorvenskey, John, and InVision Foundation for making this vacation possible for Danny. We couldn’t be more excited for Danny, and we hope there are plans for more vacations in the future! An additional thank you to Danny’s team of DSPs for their embodiment of InVision’s guiding principles in all that they do. Together, we will continue to build upon our vision of a world where all people are heard, valued, and their life visions honored, a reality. Just like Danny’s Disney experience. InVision Foundation raises money to support the development of person-driven services for people who experience disabilities in their pursuit of meaningful lives. For more information about our funding programs and ways to donate, please visit the Foundation page on our website.