Editor,

I am an African American/ Hispanic woman who supports Helen Price Johnson for state senator. I would like to share why.

I moved to Whidbey Island 25 years ago. Shortly thereafter, my husband and I had three children. Our first child suffered from spinal meningitis when she was 2 weeks old. We had two more children who were each diagnosed with autism and developmental delays by age of 3.

Needless to say, any hopes and dreams of mine to attend college or work outside the home were dashed. Doctor appointments, therapies, early learning centers became our family’s world.

I love my children deeply and poured myself into helping them become the best people they could be.

This process brought me into contact with many “agency” people who helped us along the way. Without them I truly do not know what would have become of us. Helen Price Johnson was one of those folks. Though she never knew my name, I knew she was working for families just like mine.

Because of that kind of support, I was empowered to raise my children, go back to school and get a college degree, afford a nice house for us to live and have a great job that pays a fair wage.

Sometimes I hear folks talking about how the underserved need to just pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Well, it wasn’t easy and could not have been done without help from people like Helen Price Johnson, who stands up for families like yours and mine.

Jeanette Pritchett-Heynneman

Oak Harbor