Leah McQueen

Howdy! We are the McQueens. Marc and I have two amazing sons. Nate is a senior at Dallas Baptist University, and our son who’s rockin’ an extra chromosome, Graden, is a freshman in the University of Oklahoma’s Sooner Works program. Many years ago, I saw a special about ClemsonLIFE on ESPN and have dreamed ever since about the possibility of Graden going to college. And he is doing it! I am so thankful for Sooner Works and their dedicated and passionate staff.

I was nine weeks into my pregnancy with Graden when we found out there was the possibility of him having Down syndrome. We immediately began seeing people with Down syndrome everywhere we went and saw that as a sign that Graden would likely have an extra chromosome. Graden spent a couple of weeks in the NICU for breathing and feeding issues, but once he came home he has been amazingly healthy. We know this is a rare experience, and we are grateful and humbled by it. Graden started physical therapy when he was three months old. While their have been difficulties from time to time, he has always had a driven and talented group of therapists, teachers, family and friends surrounding him and helping him thrive. Ruby’s Rainbow is the latest in this group. Ruby’s Rainbow is filling a gap by providing scholarships to a community of individuals who are not eligible for most traditional scholarships, and we have personally benefited from their efforts. Thank you Ruby’s Rainbow!