So Proud

A man contacted me today through my LEX Facebook page. "Were you a dyslexia tutor at the Freemasons in Peoria, Illinois a few years ago?" he asked. I confirmed that I was the founding director of the Peoria Dyslexia Center, which was a charity of the 32° Scottish Rite Masons. I didn't recognize him.

"I thought so!" he responded excitedly. "Our daughter was one of your students, although she went by [Isaiah] then." I've changed the names here for anonymity.

He continued, "We just got her SAT scores today and she got a freakin' 710  (97th percentile) on the language portion! Thank you so much for your hard work and expertise! We cannot imagine how she would have done without your help!"

I could tell that he was totally over the moon, and rightly so. I peeked at his profile and the photos jarred my memory of his child. "Oh my goodness! That is great news!" I wrote. "You must be so proud. Thanks for getting in touch to let me know. What is her name now?"

He told me her name was [Angela], and chided himself for forgetting to mention it sooner.  

This isn't the first time that a former student's parent has tracked me down after some time has gone by. Several have stayed in touch over time, sending holiday cards. I just hearted wedding photos of a former student who was in 2nd grade when I met her. I love hearing from former students and parents, but today's contact was especially touching as it included the sweet and simple witness of a dad who is also an ally.