A child with special needs is hard enough for any family. When the fragile arrangement to get that child to and from school is taken away it can be devastating.
That is the reality for parents of more than 54,000 special needs students as the school bus strike continues in the city, including one family in Queens with a boy who is deaf, partially blind and needs an oxygen tank, 24 hours a day.
Parker Chen, 4, relies on sign language to express himself. His mother, Suzanne, says he is always saying hello.
Little Parker is visually and hearing impaired, he also needs a feeding tube and oxygen tank. He is one of 325 students who rely on buses to get from their homes to the Lexington School for the Deaf in Queens -- all of them now have to make other plans.
Suzanne also has to worry about her 16-month-old daughter. Wednesday she ended up calling a livery cab. Suzanne is going to apply to be reimbursed for the car service. She is trying to be understanding on both sides of the strike, but isn't sure how long special needs families like hers can juggle all of this.
She is hoping the little mayor of Lexington will once again have his regular ride.
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:24 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:24:33 GMT
Officials in Connecticut say it was amazing that there were no fatalities or more injuries after two Metro-North trains collided around 6 p.m. in Fairfield Friday evening.
Officials in Connecticut say it was amazing that there were no fatalities or more injuries after two Metro-North trains collided around 6 p.m. in Fairfield Friday evening.
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:13 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:13:53 GMT
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:05 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:05:15 GMT
Authorities say one person is dead and another was injured when the vehicle they were in ran off the road and crashed into Huntington harbor on Long Island Saturday evening.
Authorities say one person is dead and another was injured when the vehicle they were in ran off the road and crashed into Huntington harbor on Long Island Saturday evening.
Saturday, May 18 2013 10:14 PM EDT2013-05-19 02:14:35 GMT
An airline official says a US Airways flight with 34 people aboard was forced to make a belly landing at Newark International Airport after experiencing landing gear trouble. No injuries were reported.
An airline official says a US Airways flight with 34 people aboard was forced to make a belly landing at Newark International Airport after experiencing landing gear trouble. No injuries were reported.
Saturday, May 18 2013 8:33 PM EDT2013-05-19 00:33:09 GMT
A 12-year-old boy was shot and killed and his father was wounded on a Jersey City street Friday night. Police say Gywan Levine Jr. and his father, Gywan Levine Sr., were walking on Rutgers Avenue
A 12-year-old boy was shot and killed and his father was wounded on a Jersey City street Friday night. Police say Gywan Levine Jr. and his father, Gywan Levine Sr., were walking on Rutgers Avenue
Saturday, May 18 2013 6:52 PM EDT2013-05-18 22:52:45 GMT
A large crowd of supporters in the Bronx joined the parents of a slain teen to protest a judge's ruling Saturday. Constance Malcolm and Francelot Graham whose son Ramarley was killed back in February
A large crowd of supporters in the Bronx joined the parents of a slain teen to protest a judge's ruling Saturday. Constance Malcolm and Francelot Graham whose son Ramarley was killed back in February
