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Home Boxed Note Cards Greeting Cards Lindsey's Story How to Order Contact Us Lindsey's Story
Lindsey Ashlum was born Feb.
20, 1973 in Quitman, Georgia. She was diagnosed Violence existed in both households. Her Father was a violent man. But when it came to his “Baby Girl Lindsey,” he really tried being a good daddy. He even walked off jobs to meet her school bus; and he watched cartoons with her on Saturdays. While living with her dad, Lindsey met John, who worked with her dad. Lindsey and John became tight friends. She called him her "daddy number two." Up until the second semester of 7th grade Lindsey, lived with her Dad. He bathed her and administered physical therapy before bed time.
Lindsey was an A student in school up until 8th grade, when family issues took their toll on her school work. Even though her home life wasn’t a good one, she remained with her mother, and kept a smile on her face.
Lindsey found that she loved
the new school. There she encountered a teacher, Mrs. Spencer, who Within one year Lindsey was not only able to hold a pencil, she was able to do simple faces and shapes. Mrs. Spencer, her art teacher, encouraged her to do more. The next year Mrs. Spencer decided that one of Lindsey’s projects was good enough for local competition. Lindsey stayed in school another three years before deciding to take the GED. Since her class had a full year before graduation, she had no chance of taking the test that year.
Less than a year later she moved out on her own. She went back to south Georgia and learned how to work around her disability and live independently. Lindsey's aunt assisted her during this period.
John began helping Lindsey with tasks and taking her places and teaching Lindsey how to trust someone again. That year their love grew until John asked her to move in with him. Lindsey’s dad was happy with their union. However, shortly thereafter, doctors discovered that her dad had cancer. An unspoken understanding between her and her daddy told her that it was time for her to leave. John and Lindsey left for Kansas and soon settled down near Jay, Oklahoma.
Lindsey’s daddy passed away in
July of 1998. This was a huge emotional blow to John and Lindsey's move to the Arkansas Ozark Mountains has been a joy and a healing. And according to Lindsey, the move here was the best decision they have ever made. |
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with Cerebral Palsy at 3 years of age caused by complications before and
during birth. Two years later her parents divorced and fought
violently over custody of her and her siblings. There was a "back and
forth" period in Lindsey's young life when she really doesn’t
remember who she lived with.
An aid that worked as
Lindsey‘s hands at school thought it not proper for a single dad to raise
a young lady like Lindsey. She asked lots of questions, checking
Lindsey’s hands and other things Lindsey thought was not right.
Lindsey finally gave in and told her Dad she was going to live with her
mother. This is something she really didn’t want to do, but she saw
no option at the time. This remains a very sensitive subject to
Lindsey to this day.
changed her life. Her teachers and the principal decided that an art
class would be the best elective class for her. And were they ever
right! 
A
teacher from the adult education department wrote to the Georgia Board of
Education
with school records showing Lindsey's abilities. Within a few weeks the
State Board sent
back a letter announcing they had voted and had agreed that Lindsey
shouldn’t be held from fulfilling her wishes. The law had been
changed.
Lindsey was reunited with her
father, and her special friend John. She was living in her own
apartment when her dad and John started visiting her. They were
close once more.
Lindsey, and after returning to Georgia, she was tortured with bouts of
depression. It was at this point that she decided it best to sell
her house and leave Georgia behind for good.