Faces of GM

Heidi Herman – Getting Help With Her Juggling

September 27, 2011 at 11:05 am

Heidi Herman admits that two of the biggest influences on her life right now start with the letter “C.” These are the Chevrolet Cruze that she builds at the GM Lordstown Complex in northeast Ohio, and her son Curtis, who is a six-year-old with Down syndrome. Heidi is a mother of three who works in the press room at Lordstown, where they stamp out the body side panels for the hot-selling Cruze.

She has become an expert juggler during her 16 years with GM in Lordstown. She’s worked on the Chevrolet Cavalier, then the Cobalt and now the Cruze. She tells us, “I do multiple jobs in a day. I inspect. I drive a fork truck. I scuff panels.” And when she gets off work, she then focuses on 3-year-old Lila, 1 1/2-year-old Hanna and Curtis.

She says it can be difficult, but she’s thankful for the support she receives from her co-workers and from the community. One source of support is the Down Syndrome Association of the Valley (DSAV.)  Heidi says dealing with issues related to a child with Down syndrome can be daunting, but the DSAV has helped. “Now there’s one big group that you can all get together and ask, ‘What doctor did you take your child to? Are you happy with that doctor?’ Whereas before that was not the case. You had to research on your own, and it was like you were a fish out of water and you didn’t know what to do.”

The other source of community support comes from the members of the UAW and the managers at the Lordstown Complex. Each year, the DSAV holds a fundraiser – the Buddy Walk of the Valley — and the Lordstown team contributes.  This year, they did a gate collection and raised more than $1,100, in addition to a contribution from the UAW.

Curtis was there for the gate collection, greeting and thanking people for their generosity. Heidi says her co-workers have met Curtis either at the plant or at after-work activities, and have responded to his needs. So when he got tired after 15 minutes at the gate collection, everyone was still supportive. Heidi says, “That makes you feel good, that people get it.”

Heidi smiles easily and seems to be handling the work and home pressures well, but she concedes, “It can be trying at times and sometimes you cry while looking on the computer for different programs for your child, or different medical services for your child.” That’s why the DSAV assistance has been so critical.

The group received a grant to purchase iPads for the kids with Down syndrome. Heidi explains, “Typically children with Down syndrome have low muscle tone. So they have difficulty with their hands they have fine motor skill issues. So Curtis can’t necessarily hold a pencil to try to write his name but he points to draw a letter or write his name. And that’s what the iPad helps Curtis do.”

But even more important than technology, is people. Heidi says, “Everyone wants the best for their child, and having a job at GM with the supportive team here, helps make that happen.”

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