Henry Schecter
2003 Community Hero
Three year old Henry loves anything with wheels, especially fire trucks and backhoes. He enjoys singing along to James Brown and Johnny Cash and he loves chocolate! When he watches the movie Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, he jumps out of his chair to dance in time with the song, “Ol’ Bamboo.”
Henry refuses to let his diagnosis of Hemophilia, a blood clotting disorder, get in his way. Having this disease has meant that Henry has several blood infusions each week due to muscle and joint bleeds. He and his parents must endure the stares of others when his little body is covered with huge bruises, a side effect of his condition. His parents have also had to learn when to intervene in Henry's play to prevent injury, and when to let him just be a "normal, active 3 year old boy."
Through it all, he manages to find the humor in just about everything. “He's a silly, funny, loving little guy” says his mother, Leslie. His mom has been truly inspired by Henry and shares, "Through my child's eyes, I have seen the magic, love and humor that are always there in everything…. Henry is braver than we are."
