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Man gives single mom of two, one with autism, random 'words' of kindness while at Food Lion

Star-News - 7/12/2021

Jul. 12—A single mom with two kids, one of which is autistic and epileptic among other diagnoses, is just trying to make it through and one random man at a Wilmington Food Lion changed her outlook on life.

Najea Claudio, 31, of Wilmington, just moved from New Jersey less than a year ago. On July 3, she went grocery shopping at the Food Lion on Oleander Drive with her kids after just getting back from the Duke University Children's Hospital — bearing more bad news about her 5-year-old, Mekhi's diagnoses.

"He was having a meltdown, so here I was rushing down the aisles to get what I need," Claudio said. "I noticed a man who was giving me light grins, but didn't speak. But then he passed by me and said, 'I just wanted to say that I see you.'"

Claudio said it caught her off guard. She said the man explained to her that he, too, has an autistic son.

"The meltdowns, the stares, people don't usually get it unless they are going through it," said Claudio. "He said his son is now in college at UNC, and he really reassured me that things will get better and made me feel better."

Claudio said she found out Mekhi had tuberous sclerosis, also known as tuberous sclerosis complex, which is a rare genetic condition that causes mainly non-cancerous (benign) tumors to develop in different parts of the body. When she was 20-weeks-pregnant with him, the tumors were found in his heart.

Mekhi started having seizures at 2-months-old, Claudio said.

"It was really rough at first finding out," Claudio said. "There are some good days and there are some bad days. We travel long ways to get him the care he needs and have tried more than seven medications for the epilepsy alone. I can't even think of how many total for his other diagnoses."

Claudio, who also has a perfectly healthy 10-year-old son, Josiah, said all of this was a shock to her because no one else in her family has it.

"He has seizures every day," Claudio said. "I'm trying to look at it glass half-full, so we can progress. Right now, I can't imagine focusing on all the bad all the time, which is why that man's kind words came at the right time I needed to hear them. It changed my faith and perception.

Claudio said she weaves in-and-out of her faith the more she thinks about how children have to go through what she has seen her child go through, and it's not fair.

"I appreciated his positive outlook while it changed mine, and I will never forget him for that moment," Claudio said.

If there is a message Claudio can get out there, it's this:

"Don't look at just the bad. Count all your blessings and celebrate all the milestones. It's not just you going through it, there's always someone who has it worst and others who have it better. Look at the glass half-full. Most of the time, our children feed off of our happiness. I realized that our perceptions of happiness are slightly different than that of a child's, especially for five-year-olds. I know it's hard, but try not to focus on the bad."

She also said, financially, her experience has been the hardest thing she has had to encounter.

"The first three years of Mekhi's life, I couldn't work because I would lose the job if I had to call out when he was too sick," Claudio said. "Medical daycare was a horrible experience. I've had to deal with working late nights to bring in income, but still take care of my children. No one has the patience for him like I do. There are a lot of things I can't do work-wise."

Claudio said she decided to move to Wilmington because it was more affordable than New Jersey and has family close to Charlotte. It also helps that one of the best neurologists in the country is at the Duke University Children's Hospital where she takes Mekhi for treatment.

There are things she has to pay for out-of-pocket that insurance doesn't cover, Claudio said, such as a special type of car seat Mekhi needs to not bang his head if he has a seizure in the car — she said that costs about $3,000 to $4,000.

"When your child is perfectly healthy, it's hard to imagine those types of burdens," Claudio said. "There is so much going on in this world, I felt for that one moment at Food Lion, we just saw each other as human beings and we are all just trying to get by and survive."

Claudio publicly thanked the mystery man in a Facebook post hoping he would see it and reach out to her:

"To the Kind man that approached me and my autistic son in Food Lion off of Oleander. Thank you. "

The post got more than 2,000 likes on Facebook and more than 200 comments.

People made heartwarming comments such as: "A kind word is never wasted. You never know how much it might mean at just the right time. Love to you and your son."

Another Facebook user commented, "This man was meant to be there for you!! He was your angel!! Still have tears in my eyes," and someone else said, "I don't know your struggle but I have 3 nephews with SN...and I know that God chooses the right parents to care for these lovely souls. If you ever need a hand, to vent, or anything — I'm here. Even though you are new here...you are not alone."

"I'm also the mom to a son with Autism. You are an amazing mom," another commenter said.

Claudio said she was so overwhelmed by the Wilmington community's reactions to her post.

"So many people offered so many kind words, suggestions, advice, and just overall love. And I know it was all genuine. It's beautiful to see a community care so much about a stranger and her struggles," said Claudio.

Her hope is that the man sees her Facebook post or this story, and she gets to sit and have a coffee with him one day to thank him herself in person.

Claudio said, overall, the encounter reminded her to keep going and stay positive.

Reporter Krys Merryman can be reached at 910-343-2272 or kmerryman@gannett.com.

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