Dinakar Singh

More than ever, we've come to realize how much deeper our reserves of strength are as part of community than as individuals.

Second, through the strength, comfort, inspiration of our friends, we've gained some perspective and been able to focus on finding the joy in the life that we have.

We slowly realized that if we just hold our heads in our hands, we're accomplishing nothing for our daughter or ourselves for that matter.

And first, it's hard not to be consumed by the shattered dreams and lost notions of what could have been

Yet over time, we've come to focus on the many good things that can be and realize that there is joy in every day.

If anything, we're now much more focused on appreciating the little things in life.

And today, despite all the issues, our daughter is as happy and joyful as any child we know.

And we are as lucky as any parent we know to have a child as sweet and adorable as she is.

So we've learned from our daughter that while the sources of joy and happiness might be different than what previously imagined, that doesn't mean that the magnitude of the joy is any less.

And third, we realize the importance of channeling the inevitable anger

and sorrow into productive channels so as to perhaps have some good, some purpose, some meaning in all this.

And so we joined with other parents of children with SMA in efforts to improve care and further research that this disease may one day be eradicated.

In doing so, we found a productive outlet for our sorrow and our anger and also a real reason for hope.

And finally, let me just say how grateful I've been to be part of such a wonderful community.

The strength and comfort offered by many of you has helped us focus on life, not on sorrow.

After all, in life, there are no do-overs, no attractions, there are no appeals.

You either find joy in the life you have or live a life without joy.

And while the circumstances of your life might not be up to you, whether you choose to find joy and purpose in them is very much ultimately up to you.

So that was his speech.

Wow.