Central Texas family with special needs children finally breaks free of quarantine

WOODWAY, Texas (KWTX) - A Central Texas family who has two children with special needs broke free from its 15-month quarantine for a few days of fun together at summer camp.

Woodway residents Melissa and Jody Copp, along with sons, Calan, 12, and Lawson, 9, spent this past week at the Texas Lions Camp in Kerrville, a camp for those with physical disabilities or certain medical conditions.

Both boys who were born with a rare genetic condition that prevents them from walking on their own.

The trip to Kerrville was the first big outing for the family during the pandemic because both boys are in the high-risk category for COVID-19.

“After 15 months of quarantine, we are so excited to come out and do fun things like rock wall climbing and ziplining and fishing and swimming as a family so that we can create these memories that will replace all the traumatic things that we’ve just experienced,” Melissa said.

Campers are normally able to attend without their parents each summer. Last year, camp was canceled because of COVID. This summer, the board decided to offer a family camp for the first time in the camp’s history in order to keep campers as safe as possible.

“COVID-19 has demanded that the world’s population find ways to socially distance and to avoid large gatherings and despite the release of new vaccines, the need to continue non-pharmaceutical interventions - such as minimizing exposure to others - is going to be with us for the foreseeable future, and certainly through the Summer of 2021,” the camp said in making the decision.

The Copps say the experience was something they’ll never forget.

“We are so thankful that Lion’s Camp was opened after the COVID season that we just had, but they have taken so many precautions and this was the first time that our family has truly felt safe to come out and do some fun things,” Jody said.

Local 9-year-old Faith Fortenberry, who has a form of muscular dystrophy, was also one of the 12 kids invited to the session.

Her mom, Leeann, a teacher in the Midway ISD, attended the camp with her.

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