The Rieglers participate in the Adult Family Home Program, which involves the care and supervision of adults with disabilities in a private, homelike setting.

Christopher has been with the Riegler family since 2001.,”

• Adult family homes are an alternative to institutionalized care for adults with disabilities in Wisconsin
• There are 120 one- to two-bedroom family homes serving 170 clients in Milwaukee County
• Dually diagnosed with autism and mild mental disabilities, Christopher Quinn lives with the Riegler family in New Berlin
• The Rieglers say they despite their circumstances, their family does everything other families do together

Collars jingled as two little gray and brown dogs scrambled over the sheen of the living room floor. Muted giggles of 10-year-old Sara and 4-year-old Joshua Riegler drifted in from the adjoining kitchen. Billy the cat leapt silently onto the leather couch beside April Riegler. Her husband, Jerry, arms folded, looked on approvingly.

And with them sat Christopher.

"This family's pretty normal," Christopher said.

But normal families can do extraordinary things.

*****

Seven years ago, the Rieglers took Christopher Quinn, dual diagnosed with autism and mild mental disabilities, into their home.

"This is a great house to be in," said Christopher, now 23.

The Riegler home in New Berlin, Wis. is one of 120 one- to two-bedroom family homes serving 170 clients in Milwaukee County, said Ann Demorest, quality assurance specialist for the Disabilities Services Division of Milwaukee County.

The Adult Family Home Program involves the care and supervision of adults with disabilities in a private, homelike setting where clients are treated like family, Demorest said.

"Being in an institution tends to be terribly depressing," Demorest said. "It's difficult to grow in that setting and achieve whatever potential you may have."

Demorest said living in a family home initiates the normalization process and serves to maximize a client's potential as a human being.

Two-thirds of clients, like Christopher, are developmentally disabled, she said. The remaining clients are physically disabled, diagnosed with multiple sclerosis or paralysis.

Normally, providers have some kind of exposure to people with disabilities. Providers are often retired nurses or special education teachers. Others have had experience with a disabled family member, Demorest said.

"Those people are good to start with because they understand what they're getting into," Demorest said.

But Demorest said being an adult family home provider is not for everyone.

"It's kind of a gift or a calling," Demorest said. "There are some people who are just naturals. You can see it when you see them working with (clients)."

*****

Christopher sat with his eyes downcast, the arms of his purple Tasmanian Devil sweatshirt folded, pressing the large silver cross of his necklace against his chest.

"What is your ultimate thing in life?" Jerry asked Christopher. "What do you wake up every morning thinking about and go to sleep every night thinking about?"

Christopher paused to think for a moment.

"NASCAR," he said.

"Is there anybody in NASCAR that you don't know the name and number of that car?" asked Jerry.

"I know every single number," Christopher said, sitting up a bit straighter.

"I'm not real familiar with NASCAR," said Jerry. "Help me out."

Christopher lifted his eyes. He uncrossed his arms and began to rattle off racer's names and numbers: "Jimmie Johnson, 48. Jeff Gordon, 24. Casey Mears, 25. Dale Jarrett, 88."

Jerry nodded.

*****

Jerry, 46, works nearly 80 hours a week managing nine group homes for disabled adults in the Milwaukee-West Allis area. Each group home generally houses four people, he said.

Seven years ago, Jerry said a representative from Milwaukee Disabilities Services contacted him about a potential client—Christopher.

"Christopher had outgrown his environment with his parents," Jerry said. "His behaviors had become to difficult to deal with."

After meeting with Christopher, Jerry said he decided a family home would best meet Christopher's needs.

The Rieglers went on to complete training and certification through Milwaukee County. Because Jerry works as a group home provider, the licensing process that normally takes two to five months had already been completed.

"Christopher is a really good story where the placement kept him and his family together," Jerry said.

Christopher lives with the Rieglers during the week and visits with his parents on weekends.

"He has another place where he can go and grow up and be more independent," Jerry said.

Jerry said his family—Christopher included—does every single thing other families do together, be it grocery shopping at Pick 'n Save or vacationing at Disney World.

Christopher has buddies over to shoot pool in the basement. NASCAR and Packers football consume his thoughts—and his bedroom walls.

*****

Everyday Christopher goes to the Waukesha Training Center, 300 S. Prairie Ave., with other disabled adults to work in packaging, assembling and mailing.

Jerry said Christopher learned he was being overpaid at the training center and officials were going to adjust his Social Security check. A few weeks later, Jerry received a phone call from a representative at the center who asked if Christopher was all right because his productivity had dropped drastically.

"It turns out he thought, 'If I'm going to work hard and I'm just going to lose this money anyway, why do that?' " Jerry said. "That's smart thinking, eh Chris?"

"Yeah," Christopher said.

"Because you sit there sometimes and act like you aren't really paying attention but you really are paying attention to everything, aren't you?"

"Yup," Christopher said, nodding.

*****

Jerry said Christopher has an extra sense that is difficult to explain. He's a "distant observer."

"You may not think he's watching," Jerry said. "But he definitely is."

In this way, Christopher has taken on a big brother role for Sara and Joshua, Jerry said. Christopher keeps an eye on the children and will tell them if they are doing something dangerous.

"Christopher's just another member of the family," Jerry said. "It's a blessing. It's all good. This is not a job.

"For me it's my life."

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