DETROIT – Ten years ago, Laura Hathaway's mother died unexpectedly. Soon after, she found herself on a path of reflection.
"If we died tomorrow, will our life have looked like we want it to look? And the answer was no," Hathaway said.
Hathaway decided she wanted to help children, specifically children with special needs, and what better way than with toys?
"How do we teach a child on the autism spectrum to recognize the facial features that go with a particular expression? We play games and lots of them. For example, children with cerebral palsy, they are going to have difficulty with movement, so we want things with handles that they can operate," Hathaway said.
Warner's Corner Toys is an online toy store and support center for parents, educators and therapists. Realizing that she could better serve this community by providing hands-on demonstrations, Hathaway is planning to go mobile.
"You're familiar with the concept of a food truck. I would like to have a toy truck. I need to be able to go to my families. I need to say, 'Come on aboard. Let's take a look at what might work,'" Hathaway said.
Hathaway stores her stock in her basement.
"I've arrived at where I thought I wanted to be and I realized it is just the beginning of the journey," Hathaway said.
Bringing smiles to faces everywhere she goes, Hathaway and Warner's Corner Toys are encouraging fun in the heart of Detroit.
Heart of Detroit