Cliff and Diane Fowler have three adult children, Megan 26, recently married and a registered nurse, Lauren, 23, still at home and graduating college in May as a secondary English teacher, and Brady, 28, who is disabled due to a rare chromosomal abnormality and still lives at home. This should be the time in Cliff and Diane’s lives where they start to relax and enjoy themselves but that is not the road they chose. They adopted their 13 year old son Artavis (Artie) when he was just three years old. He was a 27 week preemie who they meet through foster care. Artie has overcome so much since becoming a Fowler… he is autistic, has severe developmental delays, and until a few years ago had a shunt and feeding tube, but he is now thriving.
Then there is Carter.
On October 24, 2009, when Carter was just 5 weeks old, his biological father became angry at him for crying. He shook Carter violently and threw him against a wall. As a result he had a serious brain injury, retinal bleeding in both eyes (leaving him legally blind), a broken clavicle and swelling and bruises to his tiny face. Carter spent almost a month in the intensive care unit - he was very sick. The doctors told his family he would need a lot of special care the rest of his life. It came out that Carter had been shaken many times before and his biological father was sentenced to 32 years in prison. The Department of Human Services subsequently removed Carter from his biological mother because she was not taking adequate care of him once he was released from the hospital. Her parental rights were ultimately terminated by the state and he was entered into the foster care system.
The Fowler’s first meet Carter when he was being moved from one foster care family to another, and it was love at first sight. Diane immediately had strong maternal feelings for this boy who needed so much. At first, the rest of the family did not have the same immediate feelings and their daughters hesitated, worrying they would be taking on too much since they already had two in the family with special needs. However, they quickly fell in love with Carter and after several family talks they decided to make him a permanent part of the family.
Because of the trauma he endured, Carter has a long list of ailments. His overall diagnosis is Shaken Baby Syndrome. As a result he has severe developmental delay, cerebral palsy, and seizures. He is GJ tube fed via a pump 18 hours a day, unable to take anything by mouth due to severe reflux and choking issues. He has painful muscle spasms, dystonia (very tight and stiff muscle tone), cortical blindness (legally blind), and has no functional use of his arms or legs. He can move them but cannot reach or pick up anything. Currently, Carter receives physical, occupational, speech and vision therapies multiple times a week but for the rest of his life, Carter will need 100% total care.
Diane’s brother and sister in law Larry and Danielle Hoeme of Little Rock were so bothered by how hurt Carter was from being shaken as a baby, that they wanted to do something to help prevent this from happening to another child. They crafted a bill and on April 12, 2013 Arkansas lawmakers unanimously passed Act 1208 to be known as “Carter’s Law." Any mother that gives birth at a hospital or birthing center in Arkansas will now be given information on Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). Both parents will be educated about SBS before discharge and will also have it verbally explained to them. Pediatrician offices, WIC office, daycares including head start and health departments are also required to give parents information of SBS. SBS is not just for babies. Children up to age 5 can be seriously injured or die from SBS.
Carter’s life of suffering is not in vain. He will save lives!
Carter does not receive SSI, and will only get an adoption subsidy each month until age 18. He receives Medicaid as well as has some private insurance but all of this does not come close to covering what it costs to raise a child like Carter.
Ride to Give was so moved by Carter’s story that we want to help his parents give him therapy tools they could not purchase otherwise. Carter would benefit from an Upsee, a bath lift, a special adaptive stroller, therapy floor mats, a light box for at home vision therapy and at least 6 months of massage therapy to help ease his pained muscles. Please help us help this amazingly loving and selfless family.
Please follow Carter and the rest of the Fowler family on Facebook at Carter's Law-Love Me Don't Shake Me.
