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His work with RTR evokes his greatest emotions, however.
No one memory of his career with RTR tugs at his heartstrings
more than when it comes to describing his relationship with his
daughter, Tammy, herself a beneficiary of RTR's programs and
the primary reason he became involved in the first place.
"Tammy is the love of my life," Ford said.
Now 58, Tammy has blossomed, according to Ford, all thanks to
RTR. Ford still chokes up as he recalls Tammy's initial outlook
from a pediatric neurologist in the early '70s.
"When Tammy was born and we realized she had issues, at that
time her pediatric neurologist at Mass General [Hospital] told
us – my wife, Lynn, and I – to just take her home, put her in an
institution, and just let her be," Ford said. "That didn't work."
Tammy is now among countless RTR success stories, living semi-
independently within an RTR community in Hingham, working
three days a week as a receptionist for an RTR office in Braintree
and spending two more days a week out in the field as part of a
community-based day program (CBDS).
She can both read and write, first thanks to the work of the nuns
at St. Coletta's Day School in Braintree and later on, at RTR.
"He wants to support his daughter, but he wants to support all
the 'Tammys' of the RTR world," said Erin Cohen, director of
development at RTR. "He really is devoted and passionate about
the work that we do that we have an impact on those that we
serve."
Ford's responsibilities as chairman of the board at RTR have
included everything from organizing the agenda at meetings to
setting policy, right down to the nitty gritty of audits, formulating
budgets, etc.
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