Um, maybe that needs a little explanation.
The Koenigs both carry a recessive gene for a rare disease (only 1000 cases known) called Cohens Syndrome. Both of the Koenig's children, 12 year-old Tyler and 8 year-old Allie, inherited double recessives and suffer developmental disabilities and some physical problems because of that.
Carrie Koenig said the couple wondered about the pace and path of Tyler's development but became really worried when Allie was born. "We saw the pattern repeated all over again," she said. That set off a seven-year search among specialists to try to find out what was wrong. "We didn't get a diagnosis until a year ago," Koenig said.
The bad news: there isn't a pill to cure the Koenigs' kids. The good news: there's a test so any more children won't inherit the disease. And the Koenigs want more children.
"We have rooms to fill," said Marvin, one four siblings. "I'm the oldest of six," said Carrie. "On Sundays we love to sit down to a table of 20."
The genetic tests cost about $30,000, though, and Marvin's insurance won't cover them. The problem seemed insoluble until Carrie's best friend Korin Curran came up with the idea of a garage sale. A really big garage sale.
"Our garage is full," said Carrie. "And this isn't half of it," said Marvin. "It isn't a third of it." Friends' garages are full, too. So's a storage room full of furniture. Seventy five households chipped in stuff. There's even a speedboat parked at the curb. We're talking a quite large garage sale here.
The REALLY BIG garage sale for the Koenig's genetic testing starts tomorrow at 1980 Cloverdale Lane, Algonquin, from 9 am to 4 pm and will run those hours through Sunday.
In the pic: A mega garage sale to finance genetic testing for Algonquin's Koenig family features everything but the kitchen sink. Correction: it includes a kitchen sink.
1 comment:
Nice story Pete, thanks.
Post a Comment