There is a lot of planning that goes into having a baby. Just as you imagine their face and features, you imagine their future. You write it on your heart and cannot wait to watch it unfold. This changes a bit when your little bundle is born different. You erase some of the ordinary dreams and learn to write some uniquely extraordinary ones in their place. And in time, you see that their future is no less bright; it is different, but it is great because they are great. Their future is marked by who they are. And, "Jenni is stronger than me." She has uncontainable compassion. Her perception is unparalleled, and her empathy is boundless. She is without rival, and this is her story.
Jenni Morris was born with Down syndrome. This came as a surprise, but Cindy and Richard (Jenni's parents) soon learned to live in a constant state of surprise. Their baby girl got diagnosed with leukemia when she was 22 months old. A mother is helpless in such situations. Cindy recalls this state with much clarity, and she found peace in one action—holding Jenni. Or as Cindy put it, "Jenni was holding me." Jenni's strength poured into her mother, and the Morris family licked cancer together.
Jenni is the bright and beautiful center of her family. She is cherished and fiercely protected by each member, so you can imagine the fears that came with the idea of letting her go off to school. Jenni and Alyssa are best friends. So when Alyssa decided to go to PATHS, Jenni wanted to go to school with her too. As Cindy put it, Alyssa is a genetic Aggie. She was born in a maroon onesie. Whereas, Jenni was more of an Aggie by association. Therefore, Cindy and Richard were skeptical; they were uncertain about sending Jenni to school in Aggieland. However, Cindy (a proud U of H Cougar) and Richard (an Army veteran) said their first visit sealed the deal. "Texas A&M is a different part of the world." The students remind me of how it used to be. They are all a family there. It was evident to me that Jenni would be safe at Texas A&M because she'd be with family. The Aggie family would take care of her. And take care of her they did. Jenni was never without a family member at Texas A&M. Cindy was amazed by the way that regular students went out of their way to pursue and help her daughter. If she needed a ride, she had it. If she needed help, she had it. Cindy said, "We're all Aggies-At-Heart too now." And as for Jenni, she is a bonafide Aggie. She has since graduated from PATHS, and she wears her maroon with more pride than most.
Cindy and Richard are so proud of their daughter but also of her alma mater. Cindy said, "Leaders are coming out of Texas A&M." And I must add—her daughter is one of them. Jenni splits her time between helping her mom (a respite care worker) with paperwork and daily tasks and caring for her ailing grandmother, who has Alzheimer's. Cindy said that without Jenni's care her mother would not be alive today. Jenni always knows what she needs. She is perceptive in that way.
In the closing of our interview, Cindy said they felt indebted to Texas A&M. Jenni was able to go to college just like her brother and sister. The ability to go to school is often taken for granted, but for the Morris family, it was another dream attained by their extraordinary daughter. Texas A&M is lucky to have such a remarkable former student. And I would like to close with her thoughts on Texas A&M, "Being an Aggie feels completely awesome!" And it's pretty clear that Jenni is completely awesome as well. Here's to hoping we can get Jenni her Aggie Heart Ring soon. Thanks and gig 'em.
