Never Better: The Story Behind Windward Crossing

I’m a mom of three—Ali, Harry, and Teddy. My husband, Mike, and I raised our kids in Ipswich. Our youngest, Teddy, is autistic. Like every parent, we have spent a lot of time thinking about our children’s future. But for Teddy, those conversations have always felt a little different.

 

Several years ago, Mike and I met with our estate attorney to talk about what Teddy’s future might look like. She asked if we imagined him continuing to live with us or eventually living somewhere else.

I remember how hard that question was. I couldn’t imagine Teddy not living at home. I couldn’t imagine someone else taking care of him.

 

Then she asked me how I felt about Ali and Harry leaving home for college.

 

My answer was easy. I was excited for them. I wanted them to have that experience—to grow up, become independent, make their own choices, and find their place in the world.

And then she said something I will never forget: “Why don’t you want that for Teddy?”

 

She was right.

 

Of course Teddy may need more support than his brother and sister. But why should that mean he should have fewer opportunities? He deserves the chance to make his own way in the world, too.

 

That conversation changed the way I thought about his future.

 

As we began looking at what life after school might look like for Teddy, we quickly realized how many other families were facing the same uncertainty. Where will our children live? Who will they live with? Who will support them? Will they have a choice?

 

There is a tremendous need for housing and residential services for adults with autism, and not nearly enough options to meet that need. But many parents also aren’t willing to accept that there isn’t a better answer.

We want our children to have what every person deserves—a place to call home, people around them, opportunities to learn and grow, friendships, purpose, and the ability to make choices about their own lives.

 

In January 2019, I decided to do something about it.

 

I knew it wouldn’t be easy. Creating a community like this has many layers—funding, regulations, services, housing, and, most importantly, finding the right partners. Mike and I began working with other families, CDC–Harborlight, the Department of Developmental Services, and Northeast Arc to begin shaping the vision.

 

We hope to create a community for adults with autism, with the possibility of including affordable housing for seniors as well.

 

But Windward Crossing is about so much more than housing. It is about belonging. It is about creating a place where people know their neighbors, make friends, continue learning, contribute to their community, and feel supported while living their own lives.

 

“Never Better” is the name behind our nonprofit vision. The phrase is personal to our family. It is a nod to someone who had a meaningful impact on Mike’s life, but it also represents something we believe strongly in—hope, optimism, kindness, and the belief that life can be better.

That is what we want for Teddy. And it is what we want for every family who finds themselves asking the same questions we have asked.

 

We want parents to look toward the future with less worry and more hope. We want our children to be seen for who they are—not defined by the support they need. And we want them to have the opportunity to live meaningful lives with dignity, friendship, purpose, and choice.

 

That is why we’re building Windward Crossing.

 

Patti left this world far too early in January of 2026. Windward Crossing and the Windward Sails Charitable Foundation are her legacy.