I am Who I am

Holly Simon is a woman of individuality, authenticity, and determination. Married to a Chicago cop, and a fiercely loyal mother, Simon's life was on a comfortable trajectory. Then, her fifth baby, Nate, was born with Down Syndrome. Things could have changed with a simple "Congratulations." Instead, the medical staff made the mistake of saying, "I'm sorry." Since the day Nate arrived, Simon has been working to change the world's "sorries" to "congratulations," advocating for all people who have special needs. As founder and executive director of the I Am Who I Am Foundation, Simon has touched thousands of lives with the simple message of acceptance through awareness. It hasn't always been easy. The challenges of raising a child with special needs and facing her own serious health issues taught Simon how to be the change she wanted to see. By sharing her story in "I Am Who I Am," she invites readers to make important changes in their own lives. Read. Be inspired. Write yourself a new life story