VIDBE-Q 2026 Volume 71 Issue 3
Bradley J. Czaplewski, University of Nebraska Lincoln,
bczaplewski2@unl.edu
My trajectory into the field of special education was deeply influenced by
my son's birth in 1982. He was born with a trisomy so rare (resulting in Agenesis
of the Corpus Callosum) that medical professionals could offer no guidance, and
his initial prognosis was a survival period of only two weeks. This lack of
information created a sense of isolation for our family, reflecting a time when
interdisciplinary services in public schools was limited, especially where we lived
in Nebraska. Despite the grim initial predictions that Bradey would never walk or
speak, my son's life became a testament to the power of time, patience, and an
abundance of understanding and love. His 41 years, 3 months and 7 days on earth
left an indelible impression on everyone he touched, proving that he taught us far
more than we could have ever taught him. This experience continues to drive my
commitment to parental self-efficacy and supporting families navigating the
complexities of deafblindness and other incidence disability challenges.
Bradley's Legacy: Bridging Lived Experience
and Research in Parental Self-Efficacy
93
