Greg passed away June 28, 2021 at the age of 32. Gigi and Connor invite you to visit us via Zoom while we sit Shiva for Greg. Starting: 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 29, 2021 for 7 days, 3:30pm to 9pm except Shabbot. Meeting ID: 851 5816 2654 Passcode: 123456 or sign the guestbook
Signs and words
About Greg by Bro, Connor
Greg was always a bright and happy guy always finding some way to smile throughout his day. Greg was definitely never given a royal flush in life but even when he got a day that seemed like nothing was perfect for him he would find a way to smile like listening to my music or eating his favourite food. That always shocked me when I was growing up and whenever when I was sad Greg was always in the back of my mind being able to cheer me up just because he went through so much and still managed to smile and laugh through his difficult times. I will forever be grateful for the time I got with him considering if he was not as tough as he was I would not have been born to meet the amazing and motivating idol I am so happy to call my brother.About Greg by Mom
32 years. Far too short. Yet longer than most. I remember like it was yesterday when Greg was diagnosed and they told us he would start going downhill at 6 and pass away by 9. Well he showed us. 32 years. When Greg crawled towards the light socket as a baby I cheered him on while other parents babyproofed. Why? Because he moved, he crawled, commando, slow, but he did it. They said he’d never walk. Greg started standing when he became too heavy to carry (I thanked him for that and all the things he did over the years to help make it easier for all of us to help him), he stood in a stander and walked in a walker. That showdown with bro, Connor, 3 years old at the time,where he ran right over him. Connor went rolling. And then he put on skates and took the walker out to the arena skating. Greg was often on the move. He rolled his wheelchair over to the table. Remember why? Of course, there was food on the table and oh how Greg loved to eat. They said he’d never talk. Wait, what about communicating?The day Greg picked correctly by pointing to the blue, red and green pens sitting on Tom’s lap and I rushed him to sick kids to find out how much more Greg really knew. From that point on he helped us develop a communication program all his own. It went on his website and on his wheelchair. It became a model for other ML4 kids. Greg learned so many gross motor signs and could sign yes and no to all the questions. His favorite was to sign go and quickly transformed it to say get going / hurry up stringing it into a sentence signing hungry and thirsty, ("hurry I'm hungry!") to keep us on our toes! At 9, that was just the beginning of Greg’s exploding abilities. At 13, Greg was ready for a bar mitzvah and Rabbi Rhoads at Pride of Israel agreed. He was the only Rabbi in Toronto who said yes. Greg was sometimes labelled “too handicapped” in the big city. But to all of us, his friends and family, we knew better. And so, it turned out, they did too in his home town of Kawartha Lakes. In Fenelon Falls, he graduated FFSS high school and made so many friends at the day program in Lindsay, quickly earning a reputation as a flirtatious ladies man. He got jobs. Like ringing the bell at Sobey's for the holidays. He wore the bells on his sleeve and raised his hand, yes. He worked as the frozen food Meals on Wheels runner delivering food on his wheelchair tray to homebound seniors. He bowled with the special olympics. He enjoyed live concerts in the park. He could capture our attention with an AH and yes, we all understood Greg. He laughed at all our jokes, especially the slapstick, Our Miss Brooks radio and uhmm, the dirty jokes. He had a great sense of humor and could break the ice by telling us a knock knock joke with his button. When Greg laughed it was contagious. Infectious. He made us all laugh. And the best, when he couldn’t contain his excitement and squealed with glee. I close my eyes and hear that squeal and remember my son, Greg.
Easter Seals Summer Camp, 1997Greg
understands pretty much everything you say to him. There are only so many things he can
say back by pointing to a choice or an answer and more than he could ever hope to
communicate with gross motor signs... and Greg has so much to say!
With a combination of signs and scans Greg can rely on his best sense (hearing) and can communicate so much, with so many people, without relying on vision or equipment, anytime.
Greg's vocabulary
Using the Hanen program helped Greg learn
signs at first. Lots of modelling, following Greg's lead and rewards. Discovering what
Greg wants and letting him know he'll get it when he gives you what you want is Greg's
best motivator. Snacks always work if Greg doesn't have a particular preference. More,
thirsty, go, and please are American Sign Language signs. No, sleepy, happy,
excited, mad and music are common gestures. The other signs are based on Greg's
lead.
Greg and Swee'pea, Aug 2002
Greg had psychological testing done at the Hospital for Sick Children in '99 to judge his level of comprehension. It was suggested that experts develop an expressive communication program for Greg. Barbara Collier, a consultant with Bloorview MacMillan Centre suggested using an Auditory Scan.
The auditory scan method is easy. It's all about choices. You give Greg a list of topics and words based on his vocabulary. Then you go back through the list one by one, waiting for Greg to answer yes or no. This way, Greg lets you know what he wants to say or do, what he likes and doesn't like. After 2 months, Greg understands the 'routine', so now I rarely have to say the list first, Greg just waits until I say his preference. Then he replies yes.
Words that we know Greg knows were grouped by topic in the black binder on his wheelchair. Adding new words to the list expands Greg's vocabulary. There's a page at the back of the binder to add new words Greg has learned between reprints. Click here to download the binder. The only problem with this system is that no one took the time to read the book and everyone thought Greg would point to a sign on his wheelchair when he wanted to communicate.
Greg still uses the same communication system and now complete strangers can talk to Greg in just a few minutes. 5 Counties Children's Center re-evaluated the communication strategy and made 3 improvements. 1) The signs on Greg's tray and in the binder were changed from icons to photos. The message beside the pics was changed to read, these signs tell you what I'm saying. We rely on the book these days as Greg hardly ever uses his tray. 2) The book on the wheelchair was made smaller and cartoon-like, kindergarden style: You do this and I do that and poof, we communicate. Click here to download the new book. 3) A step-by-step button was mounted on Greg's wheelchair with a knock knock joke. This was Greg's verbal icebreaker at camp and in his new role as joke teller during Friday's circle time at high school. Greg also fundraises using the button for ho-ho-ho at Christmas time.
A conversation with Greg
| auditory scanning is a prompting method
of communication using a vocabulary list Greg picks a topic or a word from a list by signing yes or no. You prompt Greg twice. The first time with the list of topics or words. The second time, repeat the list waiting for Greg's yes or no response after each topic or word. Limit the length of the prompt-list from context or say something else as the last choice for each group of 3 topics or words.  Greg initiates a scan by signing go or making an ahh sound for help. You initiate a scan by asking a question based on topics in Greg's vocabulary. |
A scan goes like this. Greg, listen. Which drink would you like with lunch? Milk, apple juice, cherry drink or something else? Milk (wait for yes or no) - no, apple juice (wait) - yes. You picked apple juice! With an ice cube or without an ice cube? With an ice cube (wait) - yes. With an ice cube! Here's apple juice with an ice cube. Enjoy your drink.
| signs These signs tell you what Greg is saying. The photos are on Greg's wheelchair tray and in the reference book attached to the back of the wheelchair. |
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Greg answers a yes or no question by shaking one hand up and down for yes. |
YES |
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Greg answers a yes or no question by shaking his head side to side for no. | NO |
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Greg touches his mouth with one hand. | HUNGRY |
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Greg touches under his chin with one hand. | THIRSTY |
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Greg touches his hands together. | MORE |
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Greg rolls his hands around each other. | GO / GET GOING / HURRY |
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Greg signs please or uses his voice to make an ahh sound. | HELP |
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Greg touches his chest with one hand. | PLEASE |
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Greg moves his hand out and down in front of his mouth. | THANK YOU |
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Greg touches both eyes with both hands. | SLEEPY / TIRED |
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Greg raises both hands and laughs. | EXCITED / WASHROOM |
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Greg smiles. | HAPPY |
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Greg pounds both hands down. | MAD / UPSET |
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Greg touches one ear. | MUSIC / LISTEN |
| Below are some of Greg's amazing physical achievements. 2013 Greg had an operation to implant a device to help him move. The results are 24 x 7 and Greg is completely pain free. |
| Click to see Greg walking down the driveway, August 2003 |
Click to see the showdown | Click to download our cool high school dude cruising the halls while his most inspirational EA, Mrs. MJ cheers him on. FFSS, 2007.  |
