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Ari

Ari was a Baltimore-area baker, personal care attendant, and close friend and chosen-family member of Minjae Lee. They supported Minjae during attempts to find an accessible day program and helped plan and staff his wedding to Minh Tran.

Ari could be gentle and patient in hands-on care and forceful when a program dismissed Minjae’s stated needs. They treated his AAC requests as his own decisions rather than speaking over him. Their familiarity with care routines made them a trusted presence for Minjae and his family.

Career

Ari worked as a baker and as Minjae’s personal care attendant. During Minjae and Minh’s wedding, they managed wheelchair safety, checked Minjae’s vital signs during seizure clusters, staged care supplies, and handled other access and medical-readiness logistics.

Ari also presented Minjae with two wedding-cake designs, including an option that accommodated his dietary triggers.

Family and Core Relationships

Minjae Lee

Ari accompanied Minjae during attempts to find an appropriate day program. They removed him from the first program after recognizing sensory overload. At the second, staff ignored Minjae’s AAC request to rest, and he experienced a severe fatigue crash with his face in blue paint. Ari joined Nari Lee in challenging the director’s claim that pushing him through the discomfort would help him grow. They understood the ignored request as a failure to respect his medical need and his own communication.

Ari later helped Minjae and Minh plan their wedding and stood with Charlie, Jacob, Peter, Riley, and Logan among Minjae’s close attendants during the ceremony.

Characters Minor Characters Living Characters Personal Assistants