I remember being a kid, and watching Arnold Schwarzenegger blow stuff up on TV; It was just the coolest thing ever (I know, typical boy). But, today, the Terminator was a true hero.
A good friend of mine who I’ve known since junior high, Lily Hixon, was unfortunately born with Down syndrome and has had to overcome many challenges in her life. One challenge was to gain the ability to live alone and hold a steady job, which she now does with ease. Her home is clean as a whistle and whenever I visit I’m greeted with a hug, a cold drink, and a warm smile.
Secondly, and most recently, Lily along with 20 other special needs residents of Regency Court in Monrovia were given eviction notices stating they do not fall within the guidelines of the complex. An absurd statement.
Lily’s parents, Ken and Mel Hixon, along with Lily’s brother — Sam Hixon — sprung into action and organized an initial press conference within days. If I hadn’t heard of Moses, I’d think Ken and Mel were the ones who parted the Red Sea.
After receiving a large amount of publicity, and an article in the LA Times, Arnold Schwarzenegger became aware of the issue and immediately left a comment on his Twitter page saying “Read this absurd story in LATimes: . My mother-in-law fought so that people like Lily Hixon could live independently.” Then, the next day, the governator was at Regency Court apartments at the crack of dawn, with us, fighting for this important issue.
Luckily, when all was over, Arnold said: “Hasta La Vista to the eviction notices!” and the tenants were allowed to stay. Awesome!
Thanks again Arnold — you da man!
Sincerely,