ableFamilies in Real Life:

Meet Neal & Daisy Mae

Welcome back to ableFamilies in Real Life, where we celebrate the families making communication part of everyday life. This time, we’re heading to Pennsylvania, to meet Neal and his daughter, Daisy Mae, a nine-year-old with a big personality and a growing voice. For more than three years, the QuickTalker Freestyle speech device has been part of their story, and what a story it is.

All About Daisy Mae

Daisy Mae came into her dad’s life at four years old, arriving with just two spoken words: “mom” and “thank you.” Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and a receptive and expressive language disorder, she communicated mostly through sounds the world did not yet understand, but Neal was determined to listen. With help from The Arc of Lehigh and Northampton Counties and an outpatient speech-language pathologist, Daisy Mae was introduced to the QuickTalker Freestyle, and after 30 days of hands-on experience with the device at home, the family knew they had found her voice.

A Home Built for Communication

Step inside Neal and Daisy Mae’s home and you’ll see communication everywhere. Long before the QuickTalker Freestyle arrived, Neal was laminating photos of Daisy Mae’s favorite foods for the refrigerator, posting picture supports outside the bathroom, and building a Velcro calendar so she always knew whether the day held home, school, or a visit. When the device joined the family, those low-tech supports did not disappear. They became the foundation. Today, Neal, Daisy Mae’s speech-language pathologist, and her occupational therapist model language right on the device, touching “go” and “outside” while saying “let’s go outside,” and her pages are customized with favorite toys, TV characters, emotion icons, and the all-important “no” and “all done” so she can advocate for herself.

The QuickTalker Freestyle travels with Daisy Mae, too. Her school welcomed the device and wrote it into her IEP, where she uses it during speech sessions in the classroom. At home, it has bridged the gap with aunties, Nanas, brothers, cousins, and grandparents, replacing guesswork with clear, self-directed expression and turning frustration into connection. From quick greetings with teachers and classmates to complimenting the cashier at the local store, Daisy Mae is using her voice out in the world.

Four Words That Changed Everything

Neal will never forget the night it all became real. The family’s 30 days with the QuickTalker Freestyle had just ended, and the device had been sent back while their funding paperwork was underway. When Neal stepped into Daisy Mae’s bedroom to bring her something, she looked up and said, “I don’t want that,” four words he had never heard her say. “I was so happy,” Neal remembers. “I loved on her, giving her the biggest hug ever.”

Once the QuickTalker Freestyle was back in the house for good, Daisy Mae never looked back. Three years later, she surprises her dad daily with words like “suspicious” and “ridiculous,” plus more than a few witty, rapid-fire comebacks.

Growing Together

Neal’s advice for families just getting started is simple: trust what you notice, and start early. If your child is making sounds but not yet forming words, bring it up at every wellness visit with your child’s primary care physician, and don’t hesitate to ask about a developmental pediatrician, a speech-language pathologist, an occupational therapist, or a physical therapist. Daisy Mae’s journey began later than Neal would have liked. Watching how far she has come, he wants other families to know that progress is always possible.

Neal and Daisy Mae’s motto says it best: communication is a fundamental human right, and every voice deserves to be heard. When Neal recently asked Daisy Mae to share her favorite word, she went straight to her device and chose “home,” then “bedroom,” “upstairs,” “downstairs,” “garage,” and “kitchen,” walking her dad through the place where her voice first took off. For this family, the sky is the limit.

Share Your Journey or Connect with Us

Stay tuned for more real-life stories from ableFamilies across the country. Want to share your family’s journey or have a question? Our Parent Enthusiasts are here for you. You can also explore additional resources, guidance, and community connections on our SupportHub.