MONTEGO BAY, St James — A happy Dawn Shaw is thanking the many Observer West readers who responded to last week’s story about her struggle raising her 19-year-old bed-ridden son.

“I can’t find the words… I never knew that so many peple would care enough to reach out and I just want to say thanks to everyone. Those who have called to give encouraging words and to all those who have offered to help financially,” Shaw said on Monday.

” Some persons have offered bed linen, some pampers and one woman from overseas has even offered to send a wheel chair,” she added.

Last Thursday, the Observer West highlighted the plight of the 55 year-old mother, whose 19-year labour of love caring for her sick son, Leslie Samuels, was being hard hit by financial constraints.

Samuels, who is also blind, epileptic, and permanently brain-damaged and will need medication for life, doctors say.

It was a visibly relieved Shaw who bounced into the Observer’s Western Bureau following the publication of the story.

“I can’t tell you what that help means to me. When I saw the five dozen pampers arrive from that lady in Kingston I started crying same time… when I saw the Lasco milk things which we just did not have … The tears just wouldn’t stop coming. I cannot say thank you enough!” she said.

Since the publication of the story, a number of local and international Observer West readers have offered to help Shaw who may be contacted directly at (876) 5810455 or through her daughter, Polly, at (876) 8894870.