Sensory Room To Be Upgraded In Memory Of Alexandria Boy

Information in this story is courtesy of ACPS

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Daniel MacDonald was just six years old when he died from complications of a severe epilepsy disorder. His parents are keeping his memory alive with a donation to the sensory room at Alexandria's Jefferson-Houston PreK-8 IB School, one of the boy's few happy places.

Laura and Don MacDonald's $10,000 donation will allow the school to add and update equipment and keep it in good shape to serve children, according to ACPS Express.

Daniel was part of a peer model preschool program, where children with special needs and other children are educated together. When his health allowed, he attended morning sessions and spent time in the sensory room. The room serves students with various needs with padded flooring, a combination of textures, colorful lighting, and objects that can stimulate and calm.

Although Daniel was nonverbal, his parents could see how the sensory room benefited him.

"He would be noticeably brighter after his sessions in the sensory room," Laura MacDonald, an Alexandria realtor and mother of two other children, told ACPS Express. "He definitely really enjoyed his time there and he seemed to really enjoy being around other kids."

Laura MacDonald said Daniel had an "emotional" graduation in 2017. His condition worsened that year after he battled pneumonia and complications that ensued. He died in 2018.

The school plans to host an event with the MacDonalds to thank them for their donation.