Beyond My Wildest Dreams

This is the story of heartbreak, struggle, and relentless parental support for Mike Gibbens, who was born with cerebral palsy. Battling a school system that separated their son from his neighborhood friends while facing financial difficulties from high medical costs, Mike's parents vowed to find a way to improve the situation. As they searched for solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems in a world that wasn't prepared to accept people with disabilities, Ron and Faye Gibbens were instrumental in founding a support group-North Dakota Association for the Disabled (NDAD)-in the early 1970s. With $83.72 in the NDAD bank account, the couple volunteered their spare time, while working full time, to nurture NDAD into a vibrant charitable organization that has since provided more than $56 million in vital disability services not provided by other organizations or agencies.