Who on Earth is Torey Hayden?

You may never find the Torey Hayden that you think I am referring to even if you could find someone by that name.

The truth is that Torey Hayden is the pen name of a special lady who has been working with children with special needs.

I stumbled upon books by Torey Hayden the first time I threw in the towel to spend more time with my son who was struggling in the academics.

I had gone to the public library to read up books on Autism and the likes, and spotted one of the books that Torey had written. I could not put that book down. The hours flew by and soon it was time to pick up my son from school.

Although Torey gave her characters fictitious names, like her, each name represented a real person who had lived on the face of the Earth. Each of her characters had lived, and fought to overcome their special needs.

Torey inspired me in another way. She had the power of the pen. As a beginning writer, her books honed me in two directions - my writing style as well as my skills in ministering to children with special needs.

As a prolific reader and thinker, I read between the lines and picked up principles in helping folks with special needs. 

Torey is a remarkable writer. Her characters seem to leap out of her books. Sometimes I would be able to envisage myself as a silent observer in the very classroom that she shares with a character. I want to be like her in both areas - a great writer as well as an effective teacher of children with special needs. 

It has been eleven years since I embarked on this special journey. I do not regret a single moment of it. I relish every moment that God has given me to write and to meet and minister to His special kids. Torey has inspired and enhanced my life in tgis journey. I suppose I will never meet her in person. I would like to thank her with this tribute. Thank you, Torey Hayden. You have made every special life count.