November Family of the Month: The Tyukodys

I had the pleasure of chatting with Carol Tyukody. Her son Jason, now 46, has been a participant at GiGi’s Playhouse Hillsborough since it opened back in 2015.

The Tyukody family are some of nicest people you will meet; you cannot find a family more supportive of one another. They didn’t have an easy start though. When doctor “wham bam thank you ma’am” was first gave Carol the news that baby Jason had Down syndrome, his curt and dismissive approach left them looking for support and resources. The nurses didn’t have anything to offer her in terms of materials on Down syndrome or places they could go to learn more. Her husband, Andy, said, “I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for us. You get that baby and you hold your head up high. You always hold your head up high.” And they did. From then on, the attitude in the Tyukody household was “a child has been born, don’t come into this house unless you have joy in your heart.”

Growing up, Jason’s siblings were always there to stand up for him and make sure he didn’t fall behind.  Jason went to school at the McAuley School for Exceptional Children and while he was there, he had a special teacher who made a program just for him to get job training at ShopRite. He has now worked at ShopRite for 24 years.Jason is an excellent example of what can happen when you expect the most of people. After going to the  McAuley School, he went to VoTech, which wasn’t always easy for him. Carol told one of his teachers, “If you give him a magazine, he’ll entertain himself and look it over. But if you expect more from him, you’ll get it.” And she was right. In addition to working at ShopRite, Jason has been an alter server at his church for 24 years. The Columbiettes awarded him person of the year amongst all of New Jersey. He is so involved in his community, neighbors refer to him as the mayor, and the current mayor admits he never wants to run against Jason. He swims laps at the local pool and leads karaoke every year on vacation. (His go-to song is Sweet Caroline.) Every year he dresses up to be our very own Santa. If you want to see an example of someone who exemplifies GiGi’s Best of All ideal, it’s Jason.

Jason’s favorite program at GiGi’s Playhouse is Fantastic Friends, which he rarely misses. When Jason was younger, Carol wasn’t sure what Jason’s social life would look like, especially out of school. But GiGi’s Playhouse has provided him with an amazing group of friends and a thriving social life. Carol was kind enough to speak at the most recent Family Kickoff Event because it is important to her to share with new families her family’s experience and to be a resource. GiGi’s Playhouse is a place where people can find resources, community, and support no matter what age or stage in their journey. As Andy will tell you, “You have the most wonderful experience coming to you.”