Achi news desk-
The past 10 months have been an emotional journey for Rachel Ritchie and her family.
“It’s been a really big disaster here. It’s been nerve-racking. Stressful. I’ve never been in a flood before,” Ritchie said in an interview.
Rachel’s labor of love, Kaden’s Lighthouse, is a multi-sensory play area for children with special needs. She created it in 2020 with her own son, Kiden, at the helm. However, it was forced to close last July after a flood, leaving the community heartbroken.
“When it closed, our family was devastated, first of all, for the lighthouse and the staff, but also for ourselves and Timmy,” said the boy’s mother, Heidi Lismer-Frank.
Lismer-Frank says there aren’t many spaces adapted for children on the autism spectrum.
“If we go to a normal play place and it’s very chaotic. Timmy has sensory needs, he doesn’t like it when it’s loud. So we come here,” she said.
After the flood, Rachel’s options were limited. She was at a standstill until the community that helped the girls rallied around her.
“One of the parents who come here created the fundraiser to give us a boost so we could pay the contractors to start the work because the wait for insurance just took forever,” she says.
That’s just one way the Montreal West Lighthouse has become a second family.
“We stand for each other. We are there for each other. We support each other.”
Timmy’s mother agrees. “If you have a good day, that’s great. The staff will be happy with us. But if we have a harder day, no judgment, and they’re here to support us,” she said.
Now that Lighthouse 2.0 has reopened, Rachel has a new purpose, she says.
“We hope to expand and enter a treatment center in the future. I’m crossing my fingers to create a center for adults because they also need support.”
For this community, Richie is a beacon of hope.
