Gabriel and his family recently moved to Stratham from Georgia, where his dad, Matt, a U.S. Army veteran, was stationed. Now retired from the military after 23 years of service, Matt and his wife, Keri are thrilled to be back in New England, where they were both raised. Gabriel, age 9 and his brother Jase, age 7, attend Stratham Memorial School, and their older brother Logan, age 13, attends the Cooperative Middle School.

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Gabriel was born with Angelman Syndrome (AS), a very rare neuro-genetic disorder that occurs in approximately one in 15,000 births globally.  Individuals with AS face significant challenges including motor difficulties, cognitive impairment, seizures and an almost complete loss of functional speech. Children with AS tend to be very social and affectionate, and typically display a very happy demeanor. It is believed that there is a high chance of a cure for Angelman syndrome due to the fact that scientists know the exact cause of the disorder. There is much excitement in the Angelman community because multiple clinical trials that target the root cause of Angelman syndrome are currently underway.

 

L4L hopes to raise funds for research as well as awareness of this syndrome through donations, t-shirt sales, online raffles, and a holiday parade throughout the town on the evening of December 18. Stay tuned for details!!

 

Due to COVID restrictions, we unfortunately will not be holding an open house or lighting contest this year, although we very much hope to return to that by 2022.