Douglas and Fidelia Friedman honored as 2005 Pennsylvania Parents’ of the Year.

Douglas and Fidelia Friedman of Harrisburg, PA have been married for 17 years and have 3 children-Samuel, 16, Eric, 13 and Rebecca, 10 yrs old. They met in Mexico City , where both at the time were journalists. Their home is one where tolerance and love for differences in people is the norm. He is white, was born Jewish and speaks with a northern East Coast accent. She is dark-skinned, from a Catholic family, and speaks with a strong Mexican accent. Their children have grown up knowing to love and respect others no matter their race or religion. Both are now teachers; she to kindergarten, he to university students at Pennsylvania State University – Harrisburg

While both are very active in community efforts, the Friedmans’ story is one also of heroic efforts to provide a loving and stable home for their children, in spite of desperate battles with life-threatening personal illness and a wide range of medical problems that their children have and are enduring. Douglas has coached soccer for youth teams for 13 years, serves a number of community organizations by providing free marketing consultation, etc. Fidelia serves as Treasurer for Mosaico, the Latino student group, and is a Board Member of Estamos Unidos, a Latino community group, and also is Editor of its well-respected newsletter. Both are very active in their synagogue

Their daughter, Becky, was born with many developmental problems. For the first 5 years of her life, she was fed through surgically inserted tubes. Every night, she must receive a growth hormone injection (which her loving brothers often administer). Douglas and Fidelia have battled with her illnesses, uncooperative school administrators, and their own health problems to insure that Becky could receive the best education possible. Their son, Sam, has Tourette’s Syndrome. By the nonstop efforts of his parents, Sam is a happy teenager, a Boy Scout, active athlete and B student. Their other son, Eric is an honor student who has won many academic awards (for example, he reached the regional Spelling Bee finals 3 years in a row.)

Three years ago, Douglas developed cancer. His treatments included over 4 months of chemotherapy, followed by a month of radiation treatment. His oncologist said that Douglas ‘ reaction to the chemotherapy was the most difficult that he had ever seen in a patient. Despite the ravages of chemo, he continued teaching throughout the treatment, missing only one day during the whole time. He and Fidelia also maintained their home as a stable environment for the children, taking turns in driving them to their sports, school events, etc.

Despite all of their challenges, the Friedmans continue to volunteer with community organizations, their children’s schools and their synagogue. Their example of unceasing service to the community in spite of great adversity continually inspires all those who know this special family.