By Christine E. Staple Ebanks
Closing our two-part series on Special Needs Mama Bear leadership, this issue spotlights Michelle Renee Alexander-Druitt in the global rise of mothers who—out of love for their children—are stepping into quiet CEO roles that change families, communities, and systems.
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In our last issue of Accessibility or All, I introduced you to Dawn Wangard, a Special Needs Mama Bear who stepped into quiet leadership—balancing the demands of caring for her son Dylan while building her Mary Kay consultancy, mentoring fellow special needs moms, and uplifting her community with encouragement and generosity. Her journey—from the raw uncertainty of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to becoming a source of solidarity and strength—proved that the Special Needs Mama Bear movement isn’t just a nice idea; it’s a lived reality.
Dawn reminded us of a truth too often overlooked: mothers of children with disabilities are not just surviving—they are leading. They are quietly reshaping families, strengthening communities, and building networks with vision and grit that rarely get the spotlight.
Her journey offers us a glimpse into the Quiet CEO shift—the transformation of a mother who, out of necessity, steps into roles no job description could ever capture: visionary for her child, strategist for her family, manager of endless details, tireless advocate, and determined leader. And while the stakes for high-powered CEOs are measured in profits and losses, the stakes for special needs moms are infinitely higher—measured in the quality of a child’s life, their dignity, their future.
Her story, much like mine, reveals why the Special Needs Mama Bear Movement matters so deeply. Because when mothers rise, entire systems shift.
And Dawn is not alone. Across communities, other mothers are stepping into this Quiet CEO shift role, each with her own story of grit, grace, and leadership. In this issue, we continue that journey by spotlighting another extraordinary mother: Michelle Renee Alexander-Druitt—a Special Needs Mama Bear, Autism Travel Professional, founder and president of Ausome Families, Inc., author, and entrepreneur also known as TheeBooBFairy. Michelle has dedicated both her voice and her ventures to empowering families, creating inclusive travel opportunities, and reminding mothers and caregivers of their worth.
I first connected with Michelle on social media after she responded to my call for interviews for this feature. From our very first conversation, it felt less like meeting someone new and more like reconnecting with a lifelong friend.
Michelle is a proud mom of two sons, including her youngest, Kevinellis, who lives with Down syndrome. At 28 years old, he is living his best life. He’s seven years older than my own son, Nathan, who is 21 and lives with cerebral palsy. I love that connection, because that seven-year difference matters. It means Michelle has already lived through seasons and milestones that I—and so many parents with younger children—have not yet encountered. She has become a kind of live-in reference library of lived experiences—not only across developmental stages, but also across the critical domains of life we navigate as parents of children with disabilities: education, healthcare, social recreation like travelling, community, independence, and more. Her journey functions as a model of applied knowledge—demonstrating how a mother can transform lived experience into strategies that allow her not only to sustain her family, but to thrive within systems, and to lead change for others.
Walking the Talk
I sat down with Michelle for this interview and also to record an episode of the Special Needs Mama Bear Den, a YouTube feature that will be released soon. During our conversation, I was wearing my “Special Needs Mama Bear” T-shirt from our merchandise line (shop.thespecialneedsmamabear.com). Michelle smiled and said, “I want one of those—where can I get it?” A couple of weeks later she emailed to say it had arrived, and she couldn’t wait to wear it. Soon after, she reached out to share that she had worn her shirt—and how proud it made her feel, the power it gave her, and the connection it created with me and with other special needs moms everywhere.
That moment revealed who Michelle is: a Quiet CEO who understands the power of connection. Like any effective leader, she recognizes that strategic partnerships are not optional—they are essential. By aligning herself with other mothers and with the Special Needs Mama Bear Movement—a global collective—she strengthens her influence, extends her reach, and multiplies her impact. This is what leadership looks like in practice: vision expressed through relationships that create momentum and lasting change.
With that spirit of leadership in mind, I invited Michelle to share her journey in her own words. What follows is a conversation that highlights not only her role as a mother, but also her vision as a builder, advocate, and leader within the Special Needs Mama Bear Movement.
Michelle Renee Alexander-Druitt, Mother of 28-Year-Old Kevinellis
Q: Take us back to the beginning. How did your journey as a Special Needs Mama Bear begin?
Michelle:
“My son, Kevinellis Edward Druitt, was diagnosed with autism when he was two. Between 18 months and 2 years, I started noticing changes that didn’t sit right with me. He had been a happy, social little boy—using words, laughing, making eye contact, always ready to engage. Then, slowly, he began to slip away. The words stopped. The eye contact faded. My little social butterfly seemed to retreat into himself, and it was terrifying to watch.
My husband kept saying, ‘He’ll grow out of it.’ He wasn’t ready to face what was happening, and it took almost a year for him to come around. But I couldn’t ignore what I was seeing. I felt compelled to press in—to push for answers—even while standing in the tension between what my heart knew and what he wanted to believe.
One day I felt like I knew my son—his spark, his personality, his way of being—and then suddenly it felt like he was slipping away from me. That reversal in his development was one of the hardest parts, because I didn’t just feel like we were standing still; I felt like we were losing ground.”
Q: Those early days can be overwhelming. How did you cope?
Michelle:
“At first, it was messy. I knew something wasn’t right even as others told me to wait. At the same time, my mother began showing signs of dementia, so I moved her in with us. Caregiving for both started competing with my job. One day my supervisor asked me what I was choosing. I chose my son. With my husband’s support, I resigned to care for both Kevinellis and my mom.
Let’s just say—there was never a dull moment in our house. And then came a season I will never forget. I lost both my mother and my husband in the same year while raising two boys. I was left reeling. It was terrifying.
But in that season, I discovered something about myself—I was stronger than I ever imagined. Therapy and prayer became my lifelines. They gave me the strength to keep going when everything else felt like it was falling apart.”
Q: How did you begin to find your voice as an advocate?
Michelle:
“Honestly, I think I started advocating the moment I began to witness that shift in his development, before Kevinellis was diagnosed—long before I called it advocacy. I asked questions, pushed for answers, and refused to stay silent when something didn’t feel right. I was blessed with amazing service coordinators, but at my core, I’m someone who speaks up.
Advocacy, for me, isn’t only the big moments; it’s the little moments in the everyday activities of life. Encouraging a mother who feels overwhelmed. Reminding a professional across the table that my son’s voice (and mine) matters. A strong village—family, friends, and supporters—gave me the courage to keep finding and using my voice.”
Q: What has this journey taught you about thriving?
Michelle:
“Thriving means growing into your authentic self and creating what doesn’t exist yet. Take, for example, my segway into becoming an entrepreneur. I’ve always been a full-busted woman, and finding the right bra size was a challenge. When I left my job to care for my son, I had time to think about what I wanted to do, and that led me to create TheeBooBFairy—helping women find comfort and confidence.
At the same time, I never stopped showing up for parents—sharing information, guiding them through schools, and connecting them with resources. Seeing how many families were struggling led me to start Ausome Families, Inc., a space created to equip and empower the autism and special needs community. Thriving, for me, is turning challenges into opportunities—not just for myself, but for others.”
Q: What have been some of your hardest emotional moments on this journey?
Michelle:
“The regression was the first heartbreak—watching my little boy slip away from words and connection. The hardest season was losing my mother and my husband in the same year while raising two boys. I felt terrified and alone. That’s when I leaned harder into God. My faith—along with therapy—became my lifeline. I prayed through the tears for strength, and little by little, He carried me through.”
Q: What would you say to a parent just starting out—feeling overwhelmed and alone?
Michelle:
“First, breathe. Then lean on God, and lean into people—because you don’t have to walk this road alone. Find your tribe quickly, because support is essential. You may not discover your tribe immediately in your neighborhood, but it is out there. Communities like the Special Needs Mama Bear Facebook group, the Special Needs Mama Bear YouTube channel, or the Ausome Families platform I run are places where you’ll connect with parents who will understand you right away. You can also check local spaces like your library, school district, or community programs.
Start with just one: one parent group, one author mom, like you, Christine, who ‘gets it.’ Pray for wisdom, and trust that God will guide you to the right connections. And remember—it’s okay to grieve and advocate at the same time. Your voice matters, more than you will understand for a while.”
Q: Tell us about the work you’re doing now.
Michelle:
“Today, Kevinellis is thriving in a day program and also benefits from Self Direction—an individualized program that helps people with disabilities live their best lives. I founded Ausome Families, Inc. to equip and encourage the autism and special needs community. I’m also an Autism Travel Professional, creating inclusive travel experiences because every family deserves the joy of exploration.
And on a lighter note, I’m TheeBooBFairy—helping women find freedom from painful, uncomfortable bras. At the heart of it all, my mission is to empower, uplift, and be a voice—until families find their own.”
Q: How has this journey changed you as a person and as a parent?
Michelle:
“It’s grown my patience, my humility, and my faith. I see how God can use even the hardest parts of life to shape us into stronger, more compassionate people. I celebrate different milestones now. I create what doesn’t exist yet. And I trust God in the small, steady steps—because He’s directing this journey.”
Q: Based on everything you know now, what one piece of advice would you give your younger self at the start of your child’s diagnosis journey?
Michelle:
“God’s got you. Don’t let fear run your decisions. Choose the connections that fit your child and keep them close. Build your village on purpose. If the resource you need doesn’t exist, trust that God can use you to create it. Pray often, ask for help, and remember—you’re stronger than you know, and you are not walking this alone.”
The Heart of the Mama Bear Movement
Much like Michelle’s story, Dawn’s story, and my own story—and I am sure the stories of so many mothers like you around the globe—our journey takes us from the rawest place of survival to a place of solidarity and strength. Our lived experiences, our testimonies, are the seeds that grow into leadership, entrepreneurship, and systems change. This is the heart of the Special Needs Mama Bear Movement: love that refuses to stay silent, strength that builds new paths, and voices that rise together to transform not only our families but the systems around us.
That’s why our stories matter. And that’s why publications like Mélange matter—because they give us a platform for our voices to become catalysts. Together, we are building a living reference library that guides not only our own lives but also the lives of mothers everywhere. This is the invitation of the Quiet Special Needs Mama Bear CEO shift: to rewrite what’s possible for our children and our communities, to move beyond merely coping or surviving, and to step fully into thriving. And we are here to help you make that shift for your own family.
We make this shift together—one story at a time, one voice at a time. And your voice is part of that story. I’d love for you to reach out and share your journey with me. Together, we are carrying the heart of the Mama Bear Movement into the future—a global collective that will outlast us and lift the next generation of families.
That’s why I’m especially excited about my newest book, The Special Needs Mama Bear Playbook. This playbook gathers the wisdom of our living reference library—the strategies, actions, and lessons that help us move from surviving to thriving, from coping to leading. Just as athletes rely on a playbook to win the game, this guide is designed to help you win in advocacy, in systems navigation, and in building a life where both you and your child can flourish. Stay connected with me for the release date—I can’t wait to share it with you.
Until next time, I’m Christine E. Staple Ebanks, the Special Needs Mama Bear CEO—reminding you to keep thriving, keep advocating, and never forget: you are not alone. You are part of a movement bigger than all of us, yet powered by each of us.
Be Featured / Stay Connected with me: Email: contact@thespecialneedsmamabear.com (Subject: The Special Needs Mama Bear Feature)
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