Karson's World
Karson's World
Owen Ziliak
Team Chapnick
Story Summary
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“We want to give her the world,” said Cody Copas, father of Karson, his non-verbal daughter who has a TCF12 gene mutation. Not much is known about TCF12 due to its rarity, with few studies available on the subject. According to her mother Nicole, “everything going on with her now kind of umbrellas under TCF12.” At just five years old, Karson is already four foot two and weighs 150 pounds.
Karson also has level 3 autism, Angelman’s syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and Pica syndrome. Despite her wide array of diagnoses, Karson has command over her life. Touch, speech and daily activities are done on her terms. Whether playing with a certain toy, interacting with her parents or watching television, Karson knows what she does and doesn’t want. Her parents are acutely aware of her needs, taking her to therapy three to four days a week and placing her in a school environment tailored to children with special needs.
Karson’s parents have also made their work spaces feel like second homes to her. Cody, who owns a card shop called Karson’s Cards, named in honor of his daughter, keeps a myriad of toys for her to play with while she hangs out with her dad at work.
In the Copas’ lives, everything revolves around Karson. They wouldn’t have it any other way.
Karson, 5, peeks out from another room in her father’s card shop. Cody Copas, 29, named the shop “Karson’s Cards” in honor of his daughter. The shop opened a little over a year ago.
Karson lines up magnetic squares in front of the Karson’s Cards storefront window. Arranging objects is a comfort activity for Copas.
Karson looks up at a television at Karson’s Cards.
From left, Nicole Aldana, 36, her daughter, Karson, and her partner, Cody Copas, walk into Loftus Early Childhood Center. Karson goes to a school that carefully caters to her needs for three hours a day, four days a week.
Karson, right, is comforted by Maggie Oswald, an early childhood special education teacher, in a sensory room at Loftus Early Childhood Center. Copas spends 15 to 30 minutes in the sensory room each day before school to help her adjust to the new environment.
Karson drags her foot on a turf carpet at Karson’s Cards. Cody had bought and installed the turf carpet earlier in the day. Once Karson arrived, she rubbed her feet on the turf to inspect the new texture of the floor.
Nicole Aldana writes the ABCs on one of Karson's toys while she watches at Karson’s Cards on. Despite Karson being non-verbal, her parents still teach her the ABCs, colors and basic numbers.
Karson, left, and Nicole Aldana hold hands in the back seat of the car after a therapy session in Knob Noster. Karson goes to Knob Noster three to four times a week for speech therapy.
Karson watches bubbles drift by her while standing on the front porch of her home. “They told me I couldn’t have kids,” said Karson’s mother Nicole Aldana. “Then I got pregnant and the blood test told me it was a boy. But we had a girl. We had a queen.”
Karson cries while being bathed by her father, Cody. Karson can easily become overstimulated and protests when she has to do something she does not want to.
Karson Copas hugs Cody Copas in their living room. Karson only accepts physical touch when she wants to, and initiated the embrace with her father.
Karson reaches up at the television to touch a character in a YouTube video. Karson becomes most energetic at night, and flaps and runs around the room to express herself. “We never know what her sleep schedule is going to be like,” said Nicole Aldana, her mother. “We take shifts watching her when she’s awake at night.”
Brian Kratzer, Co-Director
Alyssa Schukar, Co-Director
Hany Hawasly, Technical Director
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