Single mom of autistic twins has miles to go before she sleeps
A typical day for Willnat Young is anything but typical.
After working the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. overnight shift at a Subway restaurant in South Miami Beach, the single mother of three drives home to her apartment in Little Haiti — if her old Chrysler doesn’t break down — and prepares her children for school.
Her 9-year-old fraternal twins, Amaziah and Ammiel Young, are autistic and require help washing up, getting dressed and eating breakfast. Amaziah, who is nonverbal, wears diapers and needs assistance with silverware. Ammiel, like his twin, has epilepsy and can have a seizure at any moment. Young gives them the first of six medications they each take every day.
Aaliyah Martin, 8, is like a big sister to her older siblings. She has vision and speech problems.
Young packs up the kids and — if her old Chrysler doesn’t break down — drops off Aaliyah at school in Opa-locka, then treks through heavy traffic to Hialeah-Miami Lakes to drop off the twins and check in with their teachers and therapists at the South Florida Autism Charter School.
By the time Young returns home it’s 10:30 a.m. She sleeps about four hours, then wakes up to do chores, run errands and pick up Aaliyah. The twins take a school bus home at 5:30 p.m.
Young makes dinner — the twins are “very picky eaters.” Then she bathes the kids. There’s a little time for reading, TV or tablet games before bed. Young’s mother watches the children while Young works.
“It’s challenging, especially for a single parent, but God gives His toughest battles to His toughest warriors,” said Young, 32. “I take great joy in seeing my kids happy. If they’re good, I’m good.”
When she feels overwhelmed, Young meditates and prays.
“I motivate myself,” she said. “It’s my duty, and it’s not their fault they have disabilities.
“Medically, emotionally, financially and physically, I’m stretched beyond my limits. The constant care they need combined with the long hours at work and the financial strain of raising children with special needs leaves me feeling exhausted.
“I know I’m doing all I can for my kids and that keeps me going.”
Amaziah and Ammiel weighed less than one pound each and could fit into the palms of Young’s hands when they were born prematurely by emergency Caesarean section at 25 weeks. They stayed in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit until they were five months old.
“The first time I saw my twins they were in incubators,” Young said. “We didn’t know if they’d make it or not. They are miracle babies. They are fighters.”
Aaliyah was born the following year, also premature, but much healthier at 4 pounds.
For the first couple years, the twins wore heart monitors. Young didn’t have a car. She took the bus to doctors’ appointments and the grocery store.
“I used to struggle to get on the bus with a double stroller and people could see I had sickly kids but they wouldn’t give up their seat for me,” Young recalled. “The jitney drivers wouldn’t even let me on.”
Young transferred the twins from public school to the South Florida Autism Charter School this year.
“It was a necessary and refreshing change,” she said. “It’s a welcoming place. The kids receive the attention and love they need.”
Young grew up in Liberty City and graduated from Northwestern High School. She aspired to join the U.S. Air Force or become an entrepreneur. She started her own food cart business four years ago but couldn’t sustain it given the demands on her time.
Young has been unable to get child support from the kids’ fathers. She relies on her parents and sister for help, but they work, too. Babysitters are expensive.
Despite the stress, the family has a strong, resilient spirit, Young said.
“We’re very close,” she said. “My kids get along well. They are patient with each other and look out for each other.”
This holiday season, Young would be grateful for any assistance from the community. She’s having trouble paying rent, which was due to rise to $1,300 per month but she has a temporary extension. What her family really needs as the kids grow is a bigger apartment.
Her 10-year-old car is unreliable and costly to repair. A replacement vehicle would be a life saver.
Amaziah likes to climb, and recently broke the TV. A new TV would be appreciated.
The kids enjoy running around outside and Young wants to teach them how to ride bikes — if they had bikes.
“Ammiel wants to be a musician,” Young said. “He likes anything musical.”
And they like to play with tablets, Barbie dolls and trucks. They like to swim.
Young daydreams about taking her family on a vacation trip.
“My children love the water,” she said. “I have this vision of escaping to an island.”
HOW TO HELP
To help this Wish Book nominee and more than 100 others who are in need this year:
▪ To donate, use the coupon found in the newspaper or pay securely online through www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
▪ For more information, call 305-376-2906 or email Wishbook@MiamiHerald.com
▪ The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans
▪ Read all Wish Book stories on www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
