"Mrs. Ospa your child has Tourette Syndrome." One sentence that changed the world for me and my family. Well, at least it's not fatal. That's the first thought that went through my mind. The following thoughts... What do I do? How will this affect my child's life? How will we ever get through this?

Then the nightmare continues. Day after day I watch Jonny as he wanders through his life losing pieces of himself. His tears come, the feelings of alienation and shame. How will Jonny be able to stay in his school? Be able to feel accepted by his classmates? I speak to our Principal Leslie Zackman and I'm told to set up an appointment for a special evaluation. I do. This is the turning point. Jonny is evaluated. A light begins to shine at the end of a long, dark tunnel.

Jonny is given a special program. An occupational therapist is assigned to us, and a social worker, and the very loving faculty and staff at PS 59 work together with us to help Jonny get back on track. Within a short passage of time, Jonny's smiles return, as well as his sense of humor, interest in reading, math, science, music, art and the rest of his subjects.

Denise Jordan, Jonny's first grade teacher suggests that Jonny write about Tourette Syndrome to share with his classmates. We decide to pen Welcome To Tourettaville. The rest is history. We won the Very Special Arts Playwright Award and performed Tourettaville at the Kennedy Center for Congressional members and the public, then we performed it at the 2000 National Tourette Syndrome Conference in Alexandra Virginia and then at NYC's West Bank Cafe which was attended by many of Jonny's teachers and classmates.

Today we are proud to bring Tourettaville home to PS 59. The place where Jonny has been able to flourish as a child and a student. This is our way to celebrate National Tourette Awareness Month and to honor the incredible work and dedication of the faculty and staff of this wonderful public school, PS 59.

On stage, (l. to r.) Stephen Bishop Sealy, Holland Hamilton, Anita Hollander, Daniel Neiden (seated) and Kennedy Kanagwa perform "Welcome to Tourettaville" at the auditorium at P.S. 59.

In the audience, Jerry Ospa watches on with (l. to r.): Leslie Zackman (principal of P.S. 59), his son Jonathan Ospa (co-author), his wife June-Rachelson Ospa (co-author and lyricist) and older son Jacob Ospa (comic book illustrator).