An Unbreakable Bond Between a Father and His Daughter
Meet Laura and her father, Larry, who have both built a legacy here at Phoenix that we're forever grateful for.
As we enter this giving season, we want to share a story with you about Laura Quist-Knox from Douglas House, and her father Larry. Larry was the ultimate advocate for his daughter.
Laura has lived at Phoenix for almost 20 years. But her father’s perseverance and commitment to his daughter began long before that. Larry raised Laura as a single dad and made sure she had access to the best of everything, especially education and healthcare. Laura said she would not be who she is today without her father.
“My dad was gentle, patient, calm, loving, and artistic,” said Laura. “He was everything to me. There is no one else in the world like him. He was one of a kind.”
Larry spent as much time with Laura as he could. He called twice a day and visited her at least twice a week. Laura said her favorite things to do with him were paint, play music, and talk.
“Larry was always a presence here at Phoenix,” said Program Supervisor Ashley Sharp. “He was one of the most involved family members I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with throughout my time at Phoenix. One time he joked that he would be here every day if he could.”
Advocating for Herself
Over the years, he never stopped advocating for his daughter. Every year, they would go on vacation to California, helping Laura pursue her dreams. Back at home, he continued his efforts. He let Laura make the decisions, making sure she was informed of all her options. Laura said he was very supportive with every choice she made.
Larry always wanted Laura to be as independent as possible and went to great lengths to make sure she was. One example of this was his ongoing advocacy for Laura to have the latest technology in speech devices, so she could use her own voice.
“Laura is an amazing young woman because she was raised by Larry,” concluded Ashley. “He has instilled the morals and confidence that she displays today. Laura is not afraid to advocate for herself and takes great pride in all her abilities.”
Unfortunately, we recently lost our friend Larry, but his passion, love and determination for his daughter will remain engraved in our memories forever.