Heaven's Lamb

Sammy was a teenager when he took his first plane trip, but he’d been talking about it long before. Talking about it in his own Sammy way, that is. Deaf and with Down syndrome, my brother communicated with my parents and me using sign language for the things that were all-important to him—mostly food, like his favorite hamburgers and fries, but also paper and scissors and airplanes.

My brother and I grew up in Los Angeles, and our parents often drove us out to the airport to watch the planes take off. Sammy would put his first finger and pinky out straight and make flying motions with his hand for as long as we would stay. When I got my first job, which involved a great deal of travel, the whole family would come to the airport and see me off.

After one business trip, Sammy wouldn’t leave me alone. “Airplane,” he signed while I tried to unpack. “I had a wonderful flight, Sammy,” I said, sliding my foot into my slipper. My toes hit something, and I reached inside my slipper to see what it was—a magazine cutout of an airplane! That night we found planes under our dinner plates. Sammy piloted his hand over the serving bowls of mashed potatoes and peas, then poked his thumbs at his chest. “Understand?” he asked, using one of the few words he could say flawlessly. Sammy wanted to fly.

My parents and I discussed it. I wanted to make Sammy happy. But what if he got frightened in the air? How would I reassure him? Sammy couldn’t grasp abstract concepts. We could teach him about love by hugging him, but gravity was beyond his reach. I might as well have tried to explain what heaven was.

Then I heard about a 25-minute flight from L.A. to San Diego. I figured I could distract him for as long, and if the trip was a disaster, we could return another way. Mom encouraged me. “My instincts say Sammy’s up to it,” she said. “And you can visit the San Diego Zoo.”

I bought two tickets and tried to prepare Sammy for our big adventure. Mom and Dad drove us to the airport and watched us board the plane, Sammy with his backpack full of snacks. God, I asked as we settled into our seats, let this trip be a good memory for Sammy.

Continued on page 2: Our trip couldn't have been more perfect.... »