Supermom | Elaine Bruckner
SuperMom: Elaine Bruckner
-Liesel Schmidt
Over nearly the past two decades, Elaine Bruckner hasn’t punched a timecard or gotten a paycheck. But the role she plays as a mother to her two boys—one of whom was diagnosed with autism at an early age—is one more important to her than any job outside of her home could ever be. “My daily life revolves around my family, and I am always busy taking Ty to his activities—which include his involvement with the Exceptional Foundation, Special Olympics basketball, Dance Without Limits, and Dream Court tennis,” says Bruckner, describing the active calendar she keeps with her 20-year-old son, Ty, who has non-verbal autism. “My biggest challenge with Ty stems from the fact that he is non-verbal, and the behaviors that go along with autism aren’t always in our favor. However, I have learned to accept those challenges and to accommodate Ty when he needs it. Ty is working at Lulu’s part-time in Gulf Shores and enjoys it so much, and I’m so proud of him for that!”
Bruckner has been married for 25 years to her husband Sean, who works at Airgas, and the couple have raised their two boys to be incredibly close. “Luke has been our inspiration on what a brother should be, and Ty and Luke are the best of friends!” says Bruckner of her 23-year-old son, who recently graduated from LSU and now resides and works in Jacksonville, FL. “We have a very tight knit family, and having a special needs son has just brought us all closer.”