He’s a rescuer of animals, community volunteer, staff member, and sports fan, and he’s living his best life. In celebration of World Down Syndrome Day, we are pleased to introduce you to Living Resources’ very own Brian Bouchey.
Brian has been part of the Living Resources family for 22 years. He lives in a residence in Saratoga with two housemates and a cat named Brady. Although all in the house enjoy Brady’s company, he is Brian’s cat, handpicked by Brian from the shelter about 10 years ago. Brian is proud to proclaim their special bond saying “I saved him!” And the feeling is mutual. Of all the humans that Brady interacts with, Brian is clearly his favorite- scratching his door when he wants special cuddles or something to eat.
Brian maintains a very active schedule. Every day he goes to Living Resources’ Day Community Opportunity Program (DCOP) where he volunteers at area churches, food pantries, and city missions, and helps make food deliveries for Meals on Wheels. In the summer, he enjoys going to the Saratoga Spa State Park, where he delights in picnics, swimming, and games with his many friends. Currently, his favorite DCOP activity is boxing class. His face exploded into delight as he demonstrated the jabbing actions he has learned.
Being helpful makes Brian feel good. His excitement about helping out around his house paid off, literally, when he became a member of the Living Resources maintenance staff. His job duties include cleaning up the office, emptying the trash, and even shoveling snow.
During his downtime, Brian enjoys going for walks in the neighborhood and drives around the region, if the destination involves food, it’s even better! He likes to kick back with a good Bill Paxton movie, (frequently quoting “Titanic” and “Twister”) listening to Bon Jovi, and watching the Giants lose. A true fan of the G-Men, he laughs and says “Maybe Next year.”
Brian cherishes his family time with his brother Steve and sister Barbara, who both live locally. Steve said, “Brian loves $5 bills, he will always ask whenever I see him “Steve, you got five bucks?” This often leads to a road trip to spend all that cash. Laughter and music abound when Barb is around. A sisterly nudge is all it takes for Brian to become animated and sing karaoke.
We are thrilled to support and encourage Brian to greet every day with dignity, independence, and happiness and look forward to the adventures we will share in the years to come.