Acknowledgements

Writing this book was an adventure I knew nothing about and was more rewarding than I ever imagined. None of this would have been possible without the support of my husband, Mike. You believed in me even when I thought my idea may be crazy. You never questioned the process, the costs, the time commitment and have supported me the entire way. I love you!

Colt Michael, you are my inspiration. I cannot wait to see what you do in this life. This world better watch out. A lot of obstacles have been put in your path, but you are crushing each and every one of them, one day at a time. Thank you for inspiring me to write a book about your journey and for showing me that anything is possible. We are going to touch many families’ lives with your story!

To Wyatt James, you have been the greatest big brother Colt could ever ask for and he is so very lucky to have you by his side. As a protector, a tutor, a cheerleader, a confidant, and so much more. You put his feelings above your own and are proud to do so. Not sure how dad and I got so lucky. You have had to stand in the wings as we navigate this space with Colt and you never get jealous. You just support him more. You are such a genuine human being and I love you with all my heart. 

To my many family members that have encouraged me to keep going, I am thankful for you. Especially to my parents, “Mimi & Papa”, and my sister Ashley. Always reviewing, proofing and providing feedback from an outside perspective. You have put up with many group text messages and never complained. This book is better because of you!  

A special thanks to my editors, Kristy and Logan. You both helped this non-writer turn her writing into a book people will actually want to read. I am beyond grateful that you were willing to take the time to give me your honest feedback and help make this book a reality. 

Hector and Amy, you are creative geniuses. You made this book come to life and I can’t wait to watch it impact this world. Hector, each illustration is such a beautiful work of art. Thanks for putting up with me as I made sure Colt’s features were just right… and for teaching me along the way. Amy, you were able to take my manuscript and the illustrations and design a gorgeous children’s book. I am so thankful for your knowledge on publishing and having you in my corner through this process. I am blown away by both of your talents and expertise and it’s because of you, that this mom’s book is now a reality. 

To my amazing Matt Jensen Marketing team. You have exceeded my expectations with the amazing Colt the Courageous brand you have created. I asked for a website to sell this book and received so much more! Matt, thank you for being open to having our team work on this project. To Sara, you have actually made me sound like an author and crafted content for this site that will be useful to so many people! Kirstie, you took a few illustrations and created a beautiful brand worth sharing! I just can’t stop smiling at your wonderful work. To my entire team that has made space in our workflow to allow this project to happen, I am so honored to work alongside you. 

I am eternally grateful to those that have truly impacted Colt’s life through his teaching and intervention. Carmen, you have been there from day one, before we even knew a diagnosis. You have helped answer my thousands of questions in the last 3 years and made me a better advocate. Thank you doesn’t even begin to cover it. To Michelle, Colt’s favorite tutor, there aren’t enough words to thank you. He may not love his tutoring at times, but having you across the table sure makes a huge difference (oh and the candy does too). But even beyond that, you care for Colt outside of tutoring and that means the world to us, and to him. I hope your cameo in the book shows a small token of our appreciation.

And to Tara, I just can’t explain what you are doing for Colt this year in school. What I can say is that it goes way beyond just school. You were my “phone a friend” back before kindergarten when he was struggling with his alphabet and I wondered if he was ready to go to school. You have been by our family’s side as a teacher, but more importantly a friend. The way you believe in Colt is unmatched and he is going to look back on this experience with you and be forever grateful.

There are many more people I could thank, but a bulk thank you will have to do. To all of you who listened to me talk about this book over the past two years, to those whom I have asked for opinions, and to those whom have reached out with ideas for promotion—THANK YOU! I am forever grateful for your kindness and interest in this book. Colt the Courageous is a reality because of your support!