BAY RIDGE — Craig Thomas, co-creator of the Emmy-winning television series “How I Met Your Mother,” took to The BookMarke Shoppe in Bay Ridge on Thursday, May 7, to sign copies of his book, “That’s Not How it Happened.”
Thomas’s debut novel brings together his notorious sense of humor while commenting on real-world issues from the perspective of having a child with a disability. The book chronicles the experience of living with a disability through the voices of four family members impacted by Down Syndrome: Paige and Rob, their son, Emmett, and their neurotypical daughter, Darcy, who was born with Down Syndrome in the midst of his father’s Hollywood career. Paige is forced to be a stay-at-home mom while Rob pursues his screenwriting career.
Years later, Paige decides to write a memoir about parenting a child with a disability, which a famous producer attempts to adapt, with Rob as screenwriter. Through this creative journey, the four family members grapple with their experiences individually and collectively.
Photo: Moira Weinstein/Brooklyn Eagle
Thomas is no stranger to this world. His son, Elliot, was diagnosed with Jacobsen Syndrome, a rare congenital chromosomal disorder that affects physical features, cognitive function and causes heart defects and bleeding disorders. Elliot was born at just three pounds and received heart surgery at two weeks old.
Like Rob, Thomas was involved in the film industry during his son’s birth, which made it difficult to create art and to fully focus on parenting a child with a disability. His wife handled the Individualized Education Program meetings and specialists’ appointments during that time.
Despite what he describes as “living two different realities” for a while, Thomas and his wife immediately made it their mission to raise awareness for Jacobsen Syndrome. They’ve made significant efforts in fundraising for research. Dr. Paul Grossfeld, whom they met in San Diego soon after Elliot was diagnosed, introduced them to the intricacies of the rare disease. Grossfeld is the lead expert in research and therapy for Jacobsen Syndrome.
Once meeting Grossfeld, Thomas used his hit television series “How I Met Your Mother” to raise awareness for his research, holding fundraisers in iconic set locations with the series’ stars. He also performs continuously with his band “The Solids,” bringing along celebrities to fundraise for Jacobsen Syndrome research.
“This is part of our life’s mission now. You just have to wrap your arms around that mission and do what you can,” Thomas said.