After sending Danielle home on the bus, Laura, the teacher and another paraprofessional sat around a table with a tub of ice cream and three spoons, wondering how they were ever going to get Danielle to sit down long enough to focus.
But underneath all that energy was a young girl who quickly captured Laura's heart.
"I just fell in love with working with her," Laura recalls.
Before long, Laura began helping Danielle's family outside of school. She provided caregiving, participated in Danielle's home-based support program and accompanied her on family activities and vacations.
Over the years, the relationship evolved into something much deeper.
When Danielle became eligible for adult residential services at 21, her parents approached Laura about becoming her Host Home Provider.
What had started years earlier as a playful suggestion became a natural next step for a family and caregiver who had already developed a close and trusting relationship.
In May 2007, Danielle moved into Laura's home.
Nearly two decades later, Danielle remains an important part of Laura and her husband Scott's family.
Their relationship reflects something at the heart of CLA's residential services: the importance of lasting connections, trust and having a place where you truly belong.
An Adventurer at Heart
Danielle's life is anything but ordinary.
She has explored Alaska, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. She's snorkeled in tropical waters, cruised to beautiful destinations and even gone zip lining high above the ground.
And according to Laura, Danielle has very little fear when it comes to adventure.
Roller coasters? The faster and higher, the better.
Zip lining? Absolutely.
On one trip to the Dominican Republic, Danielle and Scott went tandem zip lining, launching themselves from a mountain high above the landscape.
Danielle loved every minute of it.
But one of Laura's favorite stories took place during a cruise stop in Jamaica.
When the group signed up for another zip-lining adventure, the company assigned Danielle a guide who could accompany her for safety.
As luck would have it, he was exactly Danielle's type—tall, dark and handsome, with a charming accent.
Danielle was delighted.
Between zip lines, the group had to hike along steep, muddy trails. Whenever the terrain became too difficult, her guide would scoop her up and carry her.
"Hello! Hi! Hello!" Danielle enthusiastically repeated, clearly enjoying every moment of the attention.
Laura still laughs telling the story.
Danielle, it seems, has always had a little bit of a flirtatious side.
Years earlier, when Danielle was a teenager, Laura jokingly reminded her that Scott was her boyfriend after noticing Danielle flirting with him.
Danielle looked Laura straight in the eyes and replied, "I don't care."
Then she continued walking on the treadmill as though nothing had happened.
It's that unexpected wit that makes Danielle so memorable.
Where Danielle Truly Shines
Of all Danielle's favorite activities, swimming holds a particularly special place in her heart.
Over the years, Danielle has experienced physical changes that have affected her movement and mobility. But in the water, Laura sees something extraordinary.
"When she's in the water, it's like all of those physical limitations just disappear," she explains.
Danielle has always been a natural swimmer. She moves through the water with remarkable confidence and endurance, swimming laps and exploring beneath the surface.
Laura recalls a snorkeling excursion in the Cayman Islands when the two spent approximately two hours swimming through the waves in search of an underwater attraction.
They never found what they were looking for, but Danielle didn't seem to mind.
She could have happily kept swimming.
One of the discoveries that has made snorkeling especially enjoyable is a full-face snorkeling mask that allows Danielle to see underwater without getting her face wet.
Now, when she spots colorful fish swimming beneath her, she excitedly calls out, "Look at the birdies!"
For Danielle, swimming isn't simply exercise. It's an opportunity to experience freedom of movement, confidence and pure enjoyment.
She also enjoys horseback riding, another activity that supports physical engagement while giving her an experience she loves.
Music, Chocolate and a Language All Her Own
Spend time with Danielle and you'll quickly discover two of her greatest loves: music and chocolate.
Her musical tastes are wonderfully eclectic.
From Britney Spears and 1990s boy bands to 1980s hair metal, Danielle enjoys just about anything with a good beat.
Her first concert was Britney Spears, when she was around 14. Laura remembers having to hold her back because she was so excited that she wanted to rush toward the stage.
Music has also played a remarkable role in Danielle's communication and memory.
During a Celtic Woman concert at Red Rocks, Danielle heard a song performed in Gaelic. By the second chorus, she was already singing along, impressing Laura with how quickly she had picked up the unfamiliar sounds.
Decades after her bat mitzvah, Danielle can still recall portions of the rhyming speech she learned for the occasion.
And then there's her unique way with words.
One of Danielle's favorite phrases comes from Star Wars: "These aren't the droids you're looking for."
But Danielle doesn't simply repeat familiar movie lines. She creatively adapts them to express her own thoughts.
"This is not the lunch you're looking for."
"This is the music you're looking for."
Even her beloved chocolate becomes part of her personal vocabulary. When Danielle describes something as "chocolatey," she may not be talking about chocolate at all. It's often her way of expressing that she really likes something.
Laura describes it as having a Danielle-to-English dictionary.
"She is communicating with you. She is very communicative. You just have to receive where she's coming from."
And sometimes Danielle understands far more than people realize.
She follows conversations, recognizes jokes and often delivers a perfectly timed comment that catches everyone by surprise.
Laura believes Danielle sometimes enjoys being underestimated, because it gives her the opportunity to surprise people.
"She has this wisdom of a sage," Laura says affectionately, joking that Danielle could solve the world's problems if she wanted to—if she thought we deserved it.
Making Friends Wherever She Goes
Whether she's attending a concert, traveling by airplane or spending time at CLA's CLASS Day Program, Danielle enjoys being around people.
She's a people watcher, but she's also an enthusiastic participant when something captures her interest.
One of her favorite places aboard Carnival cruise ships is the Alchemy Bar, where she loves the music, colorful atmosphere and friendly bartenders.
The crew members often get to know Danielle and go out of their way to make her feel special.
On one cruise, a bartender named Anna Lucia spent the morning preparing chocolate-filled raspberries for a special mocktail she planned to make just for Danielle that evening.
On another occasion, a ship's captain recognized Danielle from an earlier event and personally invited her to join a private gathering.
These experiences are special not simply because of the attention Danielle receives, but because of the genuine connections she makes.
"She just has this aura when we're out that people gravitate toward," Laura says.
It's something Laura has witnessed time and again.
Danielle once met Colorado Avalanche player Adam Foote after an ice-skating outing at Family Sports Center.
A passionate hockey fan, Danielle was thrilled.
"Hi, Mr. Footy! Hi, Mr. Footy!" she enthusiastically repeated.
Despite recovering from a shoulder injury and being on his way to practice, Foote stopped to speak with her and offered an autograph.
What Laura remembers most is that he spoke directly to Danielle, rather than directing his questions to Laura.
For someone who understands so much more than she may be able to express, that simple act of recognition was especially meaningful.
Danielle's enthusiasm for hockey continues today. Unlike the rest of her football-loving family, she much prefers the speed and excitement of the ice.
When a game is on television, she immediately pays attention, encouraging the players and cheering whenever someone scores—regardless of which team it is.
The Joy of Being Danielle
Of all the experiences Laura has shared with Danielle, one family cruise stands out as especially meaningful.
The trip brought together extended family members, including cousins who hadn't spent much time traveling with Danielle since she was a young girl.
Many remembered a younger Danielle who had difficulty navigating unfamiliar experiences and communicating her needs.
But on this cruise, they saw something different. They saw a confident, social and adventurous woman who was completely comfortable being herself.
Throughout the trip, family members approached Laura in amazement.
They couldn't believe how much Danielle had changed.
At home, during busy family gatherings, Danielle sometimes sits quietly and observes the activity around her.
But on the cruise, she was right in the middle of everything—engaging with people, enjoying the entertainment and confidently participating in the experience.
"It's like she's the queen, and she knows it," Laura says.
For Laura, watching Danielle's extended family discover this side of her was incredibly moving.
"They got to see the grown-up Danielle," she recalls.
After nearly three decades together, Laura has witnessed Danielle grow from an energetic 12-year-old into a confident woman with her own interests, preferences, humor and unmistakable personality.
And perhaps most importantly, Danielle is surrounded by people who embrace her for exactly who she is.
"She's just able to be Danielle," Laura says.
A Life of Connection and Possibility
Today, Danielle continues to enjoy a full life surrounded by people who know and love her.
At CLA's CLASS Day Program, she participates in activities, enjoys music and exercise, and shares friendships with fellow participants—including her buddy James, who has a special place for her beside him.
At home, she has the love and support of Laura and Scott, who have shared countless adventures and everyday moments with her.
And her family remains an important part of the relationships and experiences that have shaped her life.
From the thrill of a zip line to the simple pleasure of listening to a favorite song, Danielle reminds us that a meaningful life isn't defined by limitations.
It's defined by relationships, opportunities, individual choices and the freedom to be yourself.
And if Danielle has anything to say about it, there will always be room for another adventure, a little music and, of course, plenty of chocolate.
