Page 26 - Flathead Beacon // 4.8.15

26 AMAZING! FLATHEADBEACON.COM
From left:
Corinne, Jordan and Donald Bludworth, pictured along the Whitefish River. Corinne has been recognized as Montana’s mother of the year.
GREG LINDSTROM FLATHEAD BEACON
AMAZING MOM
AMAZING MOM
Working two jobs to support her family and raising awareness about Down syndrome, Corinne Bludworth of Whitefish has earned the distinction of Montana’s Mother of the Year
Since her husband’s injury, Corinne says. “I try. That’s all you can do, is drome has taught Corinne a lot.
By DILLON TABISH of the Beacon
a medical office four nights a week while working 40 hours a week as a manager for Remedies Day Spa.
“You just do what you got to do,” she says. “We’re not used to strug- gling like this. It puts everything in perspective.”
Through it all, Corinne has been her family’s rock — positive, persever- ant, loving, willing to sacrifice. Or as friends and family have described her — amazing.
“She gives and gives so much of herself and asks for nothing in re- turn,” says Deb Carmichael, a longtime high school friend. “In the past seven to eight months, life has thrown her some wrenches. But she still maintains a positive attitude. I think that really reflects the type of mom she is.”
A national group that celebrates and honors motherhood agrees.
Earlier this year, Corinne was named Montana’s Mother of the Year. It marked the second consecutive year that a mom from the Flathead Valley earned the exceptional distinc- tion. American Mothers, an organiza- tion founded in 1935 that annually selects one top mom from each state and Puerto Rico, named Sabrina Wish- er of Kalispell the 2014 Mother of the Year for Montana. Wisher nominated Corinne for the 2015 honor, and the selection committee approved.
“It still boggles my mind that I was even considered for it,” Corinne
But based on a qualification re- quired, Corinne fits the bill.
“I draw a lot of different things from her as far as how she’s raised her kids and the type of mom she is,” Carmichael says.
“She never quits. She never gives up. I really admire that about her.”
Born in Shelby, Corinne got married at 18 and had her first son at 19.
She and her husband have three children who are now in their 20s, in- cluding Jordan, who Corinne had when she was 20. At the time, a doctor urged Corinne and Donald to put Jor- dan up for adoption or commit her to an institution. For a pair of young par- ents, raising a child with Down syn- drome could be a heavy task.
“I remember my mom said, ‘You just suck it up. She’s going to be amazing and wonderful,’ and she is,” Corinne says.
They raised Jordan the only way they knew how — with love and re- spect. Today, Jordan is 25 and defies the stigma of those with Down syn- drome, working alongside her mother at the spa and helping at home with everyday tasks.
“They are just normal every day people. They don’t need special con- cessions. Some people treat people with Down syndrome like they’re slow and stupid. They’re not,” Corinne says.
“I can’t imagine life without her.” Raising a daughter with Down syn-
L
Corinne Bludworth dropped everything and rushed to the hospital.
Corinne’s 25-year-old daughter, Jordan, who has Down syndrome, had suffered her second stroke, the re- sult of a rare cerebrovascular disorder called Moyamoya disease. She was re- leased from the hospital but remains prone to more strokes until doctors can perform surgery to try to remove the blocked arteries causing the inter- ruption in her blood supply.
Jordan’s medical emergency was the latest unfortunate incident for the Bludworths in recent months.
Corinne’s husband, Donald, has been laid up since November after an acci- dent at work, while their 20-year-old son suffered an accident of his own at a separate job that also has him re- covering at home. Adding to the fam- ily’s stress levels, a grand daughter is on the way.
has taken on a second job, cleaning try.”
“When you have a kid with Down syndrome you can’t be in a rush, you can’t be in a hurry. You have to build this enormous amount of patience. It changes everything. But we’re really lucky.”
Since 2013, Corinne has organized the Flathead Valley Buddy Walk, a free event that promotes the value, ac- ceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome during Down Syn- drome Awareness Month in October. It annually attracts 180-250 people.
Now when Corinne is out and about, people frequently recognize her and say, “Hey, it’s the Buddy Walk Lady.”
“It’s really awesome,” she says.
Being the humble person that she is, Corinne doesn’t take the credit or consider herself exceptional. She says her children made her a better person and taught her compassion and kind- ness.
When it comes to making sacrifices like the ones she has made, she says she just loves her family and would do anything for them.
“I’m just a mom,” she says.
Carmichael set up an online fun- draising site for Corinne to attend the American Mothers’ national con- ference later this month, where she would be recognized as Montana’s Mother of the Year. Any extra funds raised will go toward Jordan’s care. The site is gofundme.com/montanas- mother15.
[email protected]
ast week, amid a hectic sched- ule working two jobs to sup- port her family in Whitefish,