Ruta D’Hondt has been married for 40 years to the same great guy and has two grown children. Her daughter, son in law and granddaughter reside in Vancouver. Her son, 32 years old, resides at home and has Down Syndrome.
Ruta is active! She is involved with her church, activities at the PanAm centre, organizations dealing with individuals with disabilities, gardening, quilting, cooking, and playing bridge.
Ruta is a remote caregiver for her sister who also happens to have Down Syndrome and resides in a group home in Ottawa.
She received a BSc. and an MSc. from the University of Guelph.
In her brief professional career Ruta did product development work for Effem Foods. Ruta gave up her career when her son was born in order to stay home and be his caregiver and advocate. Not a life that was planned or anticipated, however, a life richly rewarded through the special people she has met along the way. Patience, gratitude, faith, and kindness are the lessons Luke has taught her. How lucky she is.