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My son is Tom Cruise, is what I'm saying.

However, the fact is that Sam can't tell me if someone was mean to him, if he is sad about something that happened, if he saw a car that he thought was cool, or what the best part of his day was. We do our best to make sure that he is always with people who look out for his best interests and will take good care of him. But the harsh reality is that it is likely that he will never be able to take care of himself independently. And the chances that someone in Sam's situation will be abused in their lifetime are staggering. Seventy percent of disabled adults state that they have been abused, with 40 percent of those cases being sexual in nature. Even when the abuse is terribly obvious, the abusers aren't always arrested, or even fired. Sometimes, they are merely transferred to a different facility.

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If Sam were to be abused, it's likely that he would be unable to let anyone know what happened (that's why people like him make such ideal victims for monsters). A constant worry for us is trying to imagine who will take care of Sam after we die. How can we make sure he lives a full, good life with people who love him after we're gone? Or alternatively, how can I become a Highlander?

20th Century Fox

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Con: Can't really help my boy while serving forever-life sentences for beheadings.

When I first learned that I was having a son, my dream was that he would have success beyond anything I ever achieved. After Sam was diagnosed, I had to mourn the idea that he might be better educated than me, or that he might have a more prestigious profession. I had to accept that measuring his life against mine was both an unfair burden and had no bearing on his quality as a person.

I accept the fact that Sam may be unable to take care of himself, but that doesn't mean I can't work as hard as I can to give him every opportunity to succeed. We are extremely fortunate to have an awesome extended family, but over the course of Sam's life, he will be taken care of by many people outside of that support system. I can only hope that those who do take care of Sam will love him as much as we do -- or at the very least, that one of them will have access to a Lazarus Pit I can borrow.

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Sam is a member of The Miracle League, which provides a Little League experience for children like him. Ryan would appreciate it if you support the group here. Carolyn would appreciate it if you send your own story to Tips@Cracked.com

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