Sheldon, Iowa — A Sheldon native who is the leader of a Christian conservative group has added chapters to a book he wrote in 2007 about his profoundly disabled son, Lucas.
Bob Vander Plaats is president and CEO of The Family Leader.
Lucas, the third son of Vander Plaats and his wife, Darla, was born with a rare brain disorder that required 24-hour care. He died just before Thanksgiving last year at the age of 28. The book “Light from Lucas” has the subtitle “Lessons in Faith from a Fragile Life.”
In the book’s recently-added chapters, Vander Plaats discusses his son’s final days and his family’s farewell.
Vander Plaats says the book’s publisher is making plans for him, his wife, and sons as well as Lucas’ caregiver to read their story aloud, since audiobooks are a growing market. Vander Plaats says one of his sons recently spoke about a lesson he learned from having a brother with profound disabilities.
Vander Plaats was a high school principal and coach at Sheldon High School when Lucas was born in 1993. Vander Plaats switched careers and took a job as an executive of a Sioux City-based organization that provides therapy and residential services to individuals with profound physical and intellectual disabilities. Vander Plaats ran for governor in 2002 and 2006. He’s been president and CEO of The Family Leader since 2010.
