Menkes Kids Stories

My name is Marianne and I am 41 years old.  I teach third grade at a private Catholic school.  I have a son, Blaine Joseph, who just turned 16 years old.  Blaine was born with Menke's disease and continues to do well with everything he tries.  I also have a daughter named Kalen.  Kalen will be 11 in September and is great friend/sister/helper to her brother when he needs a little extra help.  In 1990, I had a son named Matthew Charles, who was also born with Menke's Disease.  Matthew was born on Christmas Eve 1990 and turned into an angel on August 3, 1991.  It was too late to help him with the disease he had. 

I have a Dad who has Alzheimers but was/is the best Dad anyone could have asked for.  My mom passed away from Alzheimer's on July 11, 2010, which would have been my brother's 50th birthday. She took a piece of my heart with her and I miss her everyday.  I also had 3 other brothers (Jimmy, Walter and Paul) who have passed away too early, along with my sister Maureen.

My mother was born in the Bronx, NY which makes me a lifelong, avid New York Yankeees fan.  I also am a New England Patriots fan and have had season tickets since 1993. I traveled to Super Bowl 36 in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2001 thanks to my friend Kerri and watched the PATS win their first super bowl.

My parents made me who I am today and I love helping others, especially children.:)