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Caleb Ross

Caleb Daniel Ross, usually called Cal, was born on June 13, 2016, to Jess Ross and Danny Ross. He was a nonspeaking AAC user with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and hypotonic cerebral palsy. After Danny’s death in 2022, Jess raised Caleb in Portland until they moved to Baltimore in March 2038. They initially lived in the accessible suite attached to the Lee family home and later moved across the street into Noah Donelly’s rowhouse.

Early Life and Background

Caleb spent his early childhood in Portland with Jess and Danny. Danny called him Buddy and Big Man, nicknames Jess continued to use after Danny’s death.

Danny died suddenly from a brain aneurysm in 2022, when Caleb was five years old. Caleb later recognized Danny in photographs and used the vocalization “Daaa” for him.

Cultural Identity and Heritage

Caleb was mixed race and multi-ethnic (Black American through Danny and White through Jess). His racial identity was part of his family history and of how other people encountered him; his communication and support needs did not determine the depth or meaning of that identity.

Communication

Caleb was nonspeaking and communicated through AAC, vocalizations, gestures, facial expression, and body language. People who knew him well learned the distinctions among his sounds, movements, and changes in muscle tension, while AAC gave him an additional way to express needs and preferences.

“Daaa” was one of his rare speech approximations. He first used it for Danny and later used it for Noah when Noah asked his blessing before proposing to Jess.

Health, Disability, and Access

Caleb lived with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, which caused multiple seizure types and required ongoing monitoring and treatment. His hypotonic cerebral palsy caused low muscle tone and substantial support needs for positioning, mobility, transfers, and activities of daily living.

He was a full-time wheelchair user and used CPAP during sleep. As an adult, he was approximately six feet tall and weighed about 270 pounds, making appropriately rated mobility, transfer, and bathroom equipment necessary parts of his access.

Family and Core Relationships

Jess Ross

Jess was Caleb’s mother and primary caregiver. She coordinated his medical care, communication access, daily support, and the cross-country move that placed him within a larger disability community.

Danny Ross

Danny was Caleb’s biological father and one of his earliest caregivers. Their relationship lasted until Danny’s sudden death in 2022.

Noah Donelly

Noah met Caleb as a neighbor shortly after their households moved to Baltimore in March 2038. Noah was a pediatric neurologist but never served on Caleb’s treatment team because their personal relationship created a conflict of interest. As Noah’s relationship with Jess deepened, his independent relationship with Caleb developed into a chosen father-son bond.

Friendships and Community

Minjae Lee

Minjae was Caleb’s best friend. Their friendship began through video calls in early 2036, and they first met in person during Caleb and Jess’s late-spring or early-summer 2037 visit to Maryland. Caleb and Jess returned for a second visit in late 2037, then went back to Portland while preparations for the permanent move continued. The friends’ closeness and Caleb’s decline during their separations helped shape Jess’s decision to relocate.

Charlie Rivera

Caleb befriended Charlie during the 2037 visit. When Charlie became ill during an outing, Caleb offered him his Mufasa plush. Charlie later joined the group that welcomed Caleb and Jess at the Baltimore airport.

Move to Baltimore

In early March 2038, Caleb and Jess moved permanently from Portland to Baltimore. They settled in the accessible suite attached to the Lee family home, giving Caleb daily proximity to Minjae and connecting both Rosses to the Baltimore disability community.

The move followed a difficult period of separation from Minjae. After the relocation, Caleb slept better, experienced fewer seizures, showed less agitation, and regained his usual engagement.

Several months after Jess began dating Noah, she and Caleb moved into Noah’s four-bedroom rowhouse across the street. Noah gave Caleb a permanent bedroom of his own. They lived there before Noah’s August 2039 proposal.

Memorable Quotes

“Daaa.”

Context: Caleb’s response when Noah used drawings to ask his blessing before proposing to Jess in August 2039 (Noah’s Proposal to Jess (2039) - Event).

Characters Supporting Characters Living Characters Disabled Characters Chronic Illness Characters Wheelchair Users Mobility Disabilities Black Characters Black American Characters White Characters Mixed Race Characters Mixed Heritage Characters Ross Family