April 5, 2009

Quinn Bradlee

Posted: 03:36 PM ET
Quinn Bradlee, 26, started friendsofquinn.com to help families cope with learning disabilities.
Quinn Bradlee, 26, started friendsofquinn.com to help families cope with learning disabilities.

You’d think that the only son of superstar journalists Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn would have a silver spoon in his mouth and a gold ticket to Harvard, where three generations of Bradlee men went. But, Quinn Bradlee was born with velo-cardio-facial syndrome, or VCFS, the most common genetic syndrome after Down’s. While his father may have led “A Good Life,” as described his book, Quinn led “A Different Life,” the title of the younger Bradlee’s new book.

Bradlee was born with a hole in his heart that required intense surgery and treatment. He was kicked out of school and told he was “retarded.” But Bradlee wasn’t properly diagnosed with the little-known disorder until he was 14. Throughout his life he struggled with a host of physical ailments and learning disabilities.

Determined to find his own way and make it easy for other young people and their families dealing with learning disabilities to get information, Quinn started FriendsofQuinn.com. “If I can help a few people in life, I think I’ll be happy. I don’t know if I’d be satisfied, because I want to help everyone, but I would be happy,” he says.

Update: Watch the CNN.com Live interview

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Mrs. Weber's Current Events Class   April 7th, 2009 3:50 pm ET

We have a few questions for Quinn:

What was it like growing up with VCFS?

and

Do you ever feel like people treat you differently when they learn you have VCFS?

Thanks and good luck with the website!

Karen   April 8th, 2009 12:45 am ET

You are quite handsome. Downs syndrom is very noticable. What is your facial problem? I don't see it!

Tessa   April 8th, 2009 4:14 pm ET

Do you ever have feelings of inadequacy because of your disability, being the son of successful Harvard grad journalists? How do you deal with these feelings, and what advice (if any) would you give to others who are feeling, or are made to feel inadequate by their peers?

angie vaughn   April 8th, 2009 5:39 pm ET

I have a six year old who has adhd the combined type, if possible I would like your insight on how she can manage through school because at this time she is failing because she has no focus. reply ASAP please.

vcfs|everything about vcfs   April 13th, 2009 1:29 pm ET

[...] * Geradores de envelope com muitas trigger modulations e sincronizaçãohttp://www.metropolis.art.brQuinn BradleeQuinn Bradlee, 26, started friendsofquinn.com to help families cope with learning disabilities [...]

velo cardio facial syndrome|everything about velo cardio facial syndrome   April 13th, 2009 1:30 pm ET

[...] Quinn BradleeQuinn Bradlee, 26, started friendsofquinn.com to help families cope with learning disabilities ... men went. But, Quinn Bradlee was born with velo-cardio-facial syndrome, or VCFS, the most common genetic syndrome after Down’s. While his father may have led “A Good Life,” as described his bookhttp://ypwr.blogs.cnn.comA Different Life: Growing Up Learning Disabled and Other Adventures Born with a hole in his heart...A Different Life: Growing Up Learning Disabled and Other Adventures Born with a hole in his heart that required invasive surgery when he was ... with Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome (VCFS), a widespread, little-understood disorder that is expressedhttp://thebestfriends.tumblr.comQuinn Bradless VCFS Syndrome Topic Of A BookQuinn Bradless is a yound adult with Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome (VCFS) who has written a book and launched FriendsOfQuinn.com. It is his way of helping others understand the sense of isolationhttp://wegowell.com [...]

vcfs syndrome|everything about vcfs syndrome   April 13th, 2009 1:30 pm ET

[...] Quinn BradleeQuinn Bradlee, 26, started friendsofquinn.com to help families cope with learning disabilities ... men went. But, Quinn Bradlee was born with velo-cardio-facial syndrome, or VCFS, the most common genetic syndrome after Down’s. While his father may have led “A Good Life,” as described his bookhttp://ypwr.blogs.cnn.comA Different Life: Growing Up Learning Disabled and Other Adventures Born with a hole in his heart...A Different Life: Growing Up Learning Disabled and Other Adventures Born with a hole in his heart that required invasive surgery when he was ... with Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome (VCFS), a widespread, little-understood disorder that is expressedhttp://thebestfriends.tumblr.comQuinn Bradless VCFS Syndrome Topic Of A BookQuinn Bradless is a yound adult with Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome (VCFS) who has written a book and launched FriendsOfQuinn.com. It is his way of helping others understand the sense of isolationhttp://wegowell.com [...]

quinn bradlee|everything about quinn bradlee   April 13th, 2009 1:32 pm ET

[...] Quinn Bradlee – Young People Who Rock – CNN.com BlogsYou’d think that the only son of superstar journalists Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn would have a silver spoon in his mouth and a gold ticket to Harvard, where three generations of Bradlee men went. But, Quinn Bradlee was born with ...http://ypwr.blogs.cnn.comQuinn Bradlee Reaches Out to Friends With Disabilities ...Jobs and recruiting for media professionals in journalism, on-line content, book publishing, TV, radio, PR, graphic design, photography, and advertising.http://www.mediabistro.comRead Street: Quinn Bradlee and VCFS – A blog for a community of ...Quinn Bradlee and VCFS Quinn Bradlee, son of Washington Post legends Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn, has written a book about his battle with a rare disorder called velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). In A Different Life: Growing Up Learning ...http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com [...]

Janis Shenkman   April 21st, 2009 5:40 pm ET

Saw you on the View this morning with your mom.Want to wish you well and compliment you on a very good interview.We can see you are loved and adored by friends and family.Best wishes for your future.JS

Lori MiniPearl   April 24th, 2009 7:41 pm ET

If Quinn is not mentally challenged, he has no excuse for his bigoted and homophobic comments he made on "Morning Joe"' this morning. His condition is like "being black ..... or being gay" ? This kid is just an spoiled rich white kid. Maybe he didn't have any friends because he is a snob with rich parents her coddle him and go out and bought him some.......

Robert Banchefsky DDS   April 25th, 2009 10:06 am ET

Dear Quinn,
I left a blog on friends of Quinn and just ordered your book. YOU are a true inspiration to all people and My son not only has very similar symptoms, but also resembles you in so many ways. His name is Todd, he is 19, and a senior at Bexley High School in Columbus, Ohio.
I have taken him to speech, occupational, physical and sensory integration therapy for years. His VSD has become much"less significant" as he has grown to maturaty. He is still very LD, and at this time deemed "unemployable"...I call him my PDA, because I tell him a parking space, an event, or a date and he never forgets and always reminds me. I appreciate your honesty and I can not wait to read your book. Life can provide much Happiness and it appears you have found many of its answers. Much love, luck and success to you and my dream is to see my son Todd see you and know that he is not alone in his needs and he will "make it" in this world....

Most Sincerely, Rob Banchefsky DDS

Quinn Bradlee | FTP2FTP News   April 28th, 2009 3:04 am ET

[...] Could e-books help Quinn Bradlee? | TeleRead: Bring the E-Books HomeYou'd think that the only son of superstar journalists Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn would have a silver spoon in his mouth and a gold ticket to Harvard, where three generations of Bradlee men went. But, Quinn Bradlee was born with ... Read more [...]

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Nicole LapinYoung People Who Rock is a weekly interview series focused on people under 30 - from CEOs to entertainers to athletes to community and political leaders - who are doing remarkable things. Nicole Lapin finds them and introduces them here by writing a weekly column that goes out in time for you to chime in before she interviews them Fridays on CNN.com Live.

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