“Only an aunt can give hugs like a mother, keep secrets like a sister and share love like a friend.” Anonymous  

My name is Morgan, and I am honored to be the aunt of 2 unbelievable boys and 2 incredibly amazing girls. I am the oldest of 3 girls (even though everyone thinks I’m the youngest!). One of my beautiful nieces, Quinn, has Rett Syndrome.  I own two businesses, but my most favorite job is most definitely being an aunt. The quote above is pretty popular, but it is one of my absolutely favorite quotes ever. I am so honored to be an aunt to all my favorite kiddos, but with Quinn, it’s a little different for me.  

I remember the day Quinn was diagnosed like it was yesterday. We knew something was wrong, she was only 15 months old, she had never crawled, tried to walk, we didn’t know what was going on.  

The doctors had given my sister, Angie, and my brother, Ryan different ideas of what she could have, but we’d never heard of any of them. Waiting for a diagnosis was horrible, and I hated search engines during that time. We would search what she could have and we cried so much thinking she could leave us at anytime. Especially my sis…I remember telling her to stop looking.  

The day Quinn was diagnosed with Rett Syndrome will forever be etched into my memory. My sister, Angie called our parents, me and my husband, Seth, my other sister, Kristin, and her husband and asked us to come over, I immediately knew what it was about. We only lived less than 2 miles away from their house at the time….I cried the whole way.  

We all sat upstairs in my nephews huge playroom (most of us sitting on the ground or standing, there was only 2 chairs). Then Angie & Ryan starting explaining everything. None of us had ever even heard of Rett Syndrome! I remember having so many questions that I was so afraid to ask at the time. Not only was Quinn diagnosed, but I knew my sis and brother and even my nephew would never be the same and that they would need help.  

At the time, I was not a person that went out of my way to help people, I was (and still am) the kinda “black sheep” of my family, never quite fit in. Both my sisters had jobs that helped people. Angie was a nurse and Kristin was a teacher. Me? After years of jumping from job to job to job, I started my first business, photography. I have severe ADHD, and wasn’t diagnosed until I was around 20, and it’s been a tremendously hard road, and I was selfish. Quinn has changed my life. She made me who I am today, and I don’t think I could ever thank her enough. I am so proud and lucky to be her aunt. If I could cure her or even just help help her I would in a second, no second thoughts. 

I literally hurt so bad everyday, crying so much, just trying to find a way to help, and finally,I found my way to help, my own therapy I guess you could say.  Spreading awareness about Rett Syndrome and fundraising.  

 I started just around 3 months after her diagnosis, and now almost 5 ½ years later I’m going stronger than ever. My niece is my life and I will be there when she talks for the first time, when she takes her first step and all her other firsts. I don’t say “if we find a cure” I say “when we find a cure”. I know we will cure Rett Syndrome, and it will be the very first cured neurological disorder. 

Just for a second think about all your friends on every social media account you have, then think of the friends that they have that you don’t, and so on. We are talking thousands of people that could be spreading awareness and donating! This is my personal goal. To teach more people to spread awareness. I truly believe social media can do that for us! We can use it to get the funds to cure Rett Syndrome.  

Rett Syndrome doesn’t just affect the immediate family, it affects the grandparents, aunts, uncles and pretty much everyone that loves them.  

By: Morgan Moses 

Thank you Morgan for this beautiful story of how Quinn and Rett Syndrome has changed your life and inspired you to give back!  If you would like to share your story about how a Rett child has changed your life please contact Kristin Heilman at Kristin@gp2c.org