“Nobody is promised tomorrow, stay strong and savor the moment.” – Nichole Broussard
Prader-Willi syndrome appears in about every 1 out of 15,000 live births. It is the rare genetic syndrome that brings the PWCF community together every May to celebrate PWS Awareness month. The PWCF organization is made up of 2000+ families spread out throughout the entirety of California, but the odds of crossing paths with another PWS parent are incredibly slim. However, two Northern California mothers crossed paths in the most unexpected way and today we will be sharing their story.
Susie Anderson is a legal secretary for Wells Call Injury Lawyers in Fairfield, California. She has a 19-year-old daughter with PWS named Emily and has lived in Vacaville for over 50 years. Susie recently accomplished 30 years in her position at the law firm and on her way to that accomplishment, she met Nichole Broussard. Nichole is from Suisun City and has 4 children; with her oldest being Kali, who has PWS. Nichole is a single mom of three daughters and a son who had spent 20 years being a caregiver for Kali throughout her PWS journey. In 2020, Nichole was in an unfortunate automotive accident with two of her daughters and needed legal representation in the process. This led to Nichole and her family to be represented by Susie’s law firm.
Unfortunately, Kali passed away a few days before her 21st birthday in the middle of the legal case. She passed away peacefully in her sleep and was described as a great sister, a blessing to the world and a sweet, outgoing individual with a helping spirit.
After her passing, Nichole informed the law firm and this led to Susie finding out that the two had one major thing in common: They are both mothers to girls with PWS. “It was heartbreaking to hear Nichole’s pain and anguish from losing her beloved daughter and it was a stark reminder to me that my daughter suffered from the same syndrome that took her daughter’s life.”, Susie says. The tragedy inspired Susie to honor Kali’s life by sharing her story alongside Nichole. Wells Call supported Susie and agreed to donate the legal fees from the automotive accident case to PWCF in recognition of PWS Awareness month and in memory of Kali.
“I thought the donations of fees to PWCF was a great way to honor Kali but I felt like I wanted to do more. That is when I approached Nichole and asked her if I could share her and Kali’s story with PWCF so that Kali could be remembered and honored during PWS Awareness Month in May.” – Susie
Susie’s daughter Emily has a lot in common with Kali. Emily is described as a compassionate individual who loves to help others and is determined to accomplish whatever she sets her mind to. Emily is currently attending adult school and has been known to help her fellow classmates with other disabilities during class. In her spare time, Emily loves to play with her collection of Polly Pocket dolls, puzzles, word and coloring games, reading and collecting as many Puppy Place books as she can!
Life often surprises us with moments of pure coincidence, and thankfully Susie and Nichole made the most of one of these moments and allowed us to learn more about their two wonderful daughters. We dedicate this article to the memory of Kali and in honor of Emily, and we hope this article inspires other families to share their stories with us in the future.
More about Wells Call Injury Lawyers:
“At Wells Call Injury Lawyers, we are committed to helping injured clients through some of the most difficult times of their lives. Our engagements encompass partnerships with esteemed organizations such as churches, youth sports programs, and schools. Recently, we organized a impactful speech contest for high school juniors and seniors, providing them with a platform to raise awareness about the perils of drinking and driving. The winner received a substantial $5000 scholarship. Additionally, we conducted an exceptional teacher contest, where the top-voted teacher received a $5000 award, while other top teachers were also recognized with prizes. We are always looking for ways to give back to our community.”
Learn more about Wells Cal Injury Lawyers here.
Thank you to Wells Call Law Firm for their extremely generous donation to our organization!
Written by Luis Prado, Administrative Director of PWCF
