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Today, July 22, is Katherine McCarron’s birthday. Katherine was a beautiful, precious, and happy little girl. Katherine was autistic. Katherine’s fourth birthday would have been today.
Katherine died at the age of three years old on May 13th. Her mother, Dr. Karen McCarron, allegedly killed her.
In remembrance of Katherine, the disability rights group Not Dead Yet is passing out pink ribbons at today’s third annual Disability Pride Parade in Chicago. The parade’s Master of Ceremonies, actor, writer, and director Tekki Lomnicki , will read a statement that will mention Katherine.
I am not able to be in Chicago for the parade. On Wednesday, my son Charlie and I bought a roll of pink ribbon at Target. Charlie unfurled the ribbon, and I made the pink ribbon with a clear jewel in the center. The ancient Greek word katharos, meaning “pure,” is the root word for the name, Katherine, and I think often of her, with her eyes and sweet face shining.
Beautiful, precious, and happy.
Happy Birthday, Katie.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and with those who loved, and love you, today and every day.
1590 days ago
[...] July 21st, 2006, members of the disability rights group Not Dead Yet passed out pink ribbons at the third annual Disability Pride Parade in Chicago. The parade’s Master of Ceremonies, [...]
1794 days ago
[...] be returned to them, that promise would be made in a heartbeat. Mike and Paul brought over some of the ribbon Kassiane had selected for Katie and which Paul and Mike wore with honour every time they went to [...]
Many, many thanks Kelly Rose—
To the McCarron family:
I have only recently heard of Katie McCarron.
I cannot express to you how very sorry I am for your loss. I do not know you, but I am overwhelmed by your strength. Your words are a message that strike truth and love where it is needed most.
Thank you for posting the pictures of your sweet angel. I will always remember her beautiful face. I will rememer her, and I will smile.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Kelly Rose
2107 days ago
[...] McGovern is the author of Autism’s Parent Trap, which appeared in the New York Times on June 5th in which she discusses the killing of Katherine McCarron by her mother. In her June 5th essay, McGovern wrote Now, as the mother of a 10-year-old, I will say what no parents who have just discovered their child is autistic want to hear, but should, at least from one person: I’ve never met a recovered child outside the pages of those old books. Not that it doesn’t happen; I’m sure it does. But it’s extraordinarily rare and it doesn’t happen the way we once were led to believe. [...]
Julia, let us know what you find!
I just put out a call to raid the Michael’s stores in the Austin area. We’ll see if any of the twin mommies in the group can make a raid before I see her Monday night. If so, I’ll be contacting Kassiane about it. If not, I’ll report as soon as I have a chance to raid the 3 closest stores.
thanks, Kassiane! I’d be glad to post a photo here if you send it to me—-
I’ll try to get to Michael’s while Charlie’s at school but may not be able to.
OK, I am sitting with a spool right here of the ribbon, well one of each because they’re 2 related patterns…
The spool is kind of a tacky peachypink and says “Hearts le Fleur” on one side. The other has a number thats identical on both flavors (10388425) and the length and that it was made in china…and they both have the same barcode (70659 57877). The patterns are a dark pink with white flowers, some also have hearts. They are clearly a “go together” pair of patterns. I’ll try to get a decent pic tonight and post a link to it either here or on my blog.
I appreciate so many people jumping in to help with this. It’s a Big Deal, the ribbon project and the memory of a precious child.
In the religious tradition I was raised in (Eastern Orthodox Christian) at funerals “Eternal be thy memory” is sung many times, and on the anniversary as well. The original Kassiane is said to have written the tune.
Katie, eternal be thy memory.
Actually, we have a couple of Michael’s stores here in Calgary, too. If I have the ID number for the ribbon, I can go get some next week (after I’m moved). And I’ll just keep it as a stock thing and if anyone needs more ribbon or wants me to send them some of the memory ribbons, I can do that, too.
Mike,
there was a lot of love and support expressed for you and your family yesterday. Some of that was expressed by Tekki, who was visibly emotional reading the statement, adding a couple comments of her own (which I do not remember clearly, except for the end). At the end, she looked heavenward and said “Happy birthday, Katie.” I thought I was about teared-out this month. I was wrong.
Tekki was wearing a ribbon and so was Robert David Hall. Most of the most well-known folks in the disability community were wearing them.
Many people also came to see the display we put up in Katie’s honor. We printed the three pictures of her on portrait-sized photo paper and also put her name, day of birth and death on it.
But the bulk of the written material consisted of the beautiful words Mike has written about her. There were tears in the eyes of many people who came by, looked at the pictures, read the words a and took a ribbon.
There was no real time to explain the situation to Robert David Hall, who has a nephew with autism. His brother’s family has dealt with frustration and tough situations.
But he’s sympathethic toward NDY in general. I finally got the chance to thank him for going out on a limb last year and criticizing “Million Dollar Baby” as a stereotypical portrayal of people with disabilities that wasn’t needed at all. For an actor like him to be critical of Clint Eastwood – no matter how respectfully – took real conviction on his part.
Most of the ribbons are gone. I have some left and will gladly pass them on to where and who they are needed.
Like Kassiane, I am going to put out a call to contacts nationwide to raid Michael’s for more of the ribbon rolls.
I hope to have pictures of the display and of some of us wearing the ribbons within a few days. I don’t know when I can get them up, but I’ll email them to anyone who wants them.
Katie’s memory was honored yesterday, I believe. The words that were spoken on the stage celebrated her life – very appropriate if incredibly tragic for this event meant to celebrate the lives of all peole with disabilities.
Thank you everyone for your help, support, and making it impossible to forget that there are really great and good people in the world.
–Stephen
Kassiane, I wanted to check in Michael’s but Charlie does not like those stores—sensory overload—-hence I was unable to check. Would it be possible to post or send a photo so I know what the print is?
Yes and yes: Katie will never be forgotten.
Happy birthday, dear Katie.
Kristina, the “official” ribbon can be found in the clearance bins at Michael’s craft stores. It’s a discontinued print, but I am writing to them to try to get them to re-continue it. If that doesn’t work I am going to make an effort to get autism advocates across the country to clear them out of the chosen prints.
In October I’ll be bringing some, provided my stock doesn’t cleared out from requests before…and I’m looking for ribbons that are the same COLOR, because a heart or flower can be used to secure them or at the crossover point if someone gets creative and makes pins. I’m also working on a button for websites and a tshirt/bumpersticker/etc with wording supplied by Mr McCarron (you do have a way with words, sir) so people who want an official ribbon but didn’t get their hands on one can have them..the pin thing I think would be a good continuation.
Mr McCarron, I cannot imagine the heartache your family feels today. In Chicago, right near you, Katie’s story is being told by Not Dead Yet. Poor consolation, but we will never let her be forgotten.
Dear Mike,
Thanks more than I can say—we’re all thinking of all of you today.
Kristina
Kristina,
I have shared this post with my wife and family, thank you so very, very much. This is an emotional day for us and it is just great to feel the love and support of you and so many other people.
Thank you for being you.