The Boy in the Moon by Ian Brown

English Blog on “The Boy in the Moon” by Ian Brown

By: Josh Blake

Ian Brown impression of the L’Arche communities in Montreal and France was very positive. But, he always feared that a day would come that he and his wife, Johanna, would not be able to take care of their profoundly disabled son, Walker. They didn’t feel that it was possible or moral to entrust him to a family member or close friend. So instead they needed to find Walker a new home for when they could not take care of him. This new home was L’Arche, which is a home for disabled and profoundly disabled children who need constant care. Ian Brown said that he felt out of place entering the L’Arche community. "For a long time I didn't want to leave." pg. 194 Ian Brown, after a while, felt accepted in this community and felt safe and confident in leaving his son, Walker, in this community.

I have learned a lot about life with a profoundly disabled child from The Boy in the Moon. The main thing that I have leaned is that you have to enjoy the little things in life no matter how small. That small thing might just be something that the profoundly disabled child does in every day life, like walking, going to the bathroom alone, or eating. Another thing that I have learned from this book is that a profoundly disabled child needs to be watched and taken care of twenty-four seven. If not then they could possibly hurt themselves. Ian Brown’s memoir has clarified my attitude to profoundly disabled children because it has proved that a profoundly disabled child is hard to look after and take care of.

There are only three questions that I have to ask Ian Brown and they are:
1. When you found out that Walker had CFC what was your reaction and looking back would you have reacted differently under the circumstances?
2. Do you think that there needs to be more awareness about CFC?
3. Before Walker entered your life did you know about CFC and its effects?