CALLEN'S CASTLE
PARK FOR ALL ABILITIES
Our son Callen is the true inspiration behind the vision of building a park for children of all abilities in New Braunfels. In his short life, he showed us immeasurable determination, brought us faith, and was a hero to others.
Due to complications during my pregnancy stemming from Type I Diabetes, Callen suffered from brain damage that led to a rare diagnosis of Porencephaly. Doctors told my husband and me that Callen would most likely not survive birth, and if he did, he would only live a few days at the most. But, on December 28, 2012, we were blessed with the arrival of Callen Hugh Clawson. He spent the first month of life in the NICU, but defied doctors’ prognosis and eventually got to go home with us.
With his diagnosis of Porencephaly, we were told that Callen would likely be unable to eat on his own, unable to hold his head up, likely to never walk or speak, and that there was a good chance he would be blind and/or deaf. However, Callen chose to ignore almost everything
the doctors told us. In just nine and a half months, Callen was drinking from a bottle, beginning to hold his head up, tracking light and responding to sound. He was defying the odds and instilling a sense of faith and hope in everyone who came in his path.
On October 17, 2013, Callen suffered a fatal seizure. Even in his death, he continued to defy odds and do something that most people can’t say they have done. He helped save the life of two other children. His heart was donated and the valves and arteries were given to two babies who needed them. We like to think that Callen lives on in the hearts of those children.
While the passing of our son was devastating, his life was so powerful. He was a fighter and made us want to do something that could benefit all kids. That’s where the vision of Callen’s Castle was born. We want to build a place where kids of all abilities can go to swing, slide, and play. Every child deserves a place where he/she can have fun!
New Braunfels, Texas

ABOUT CALLEN
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