650 Oakhurst Drive doesn’t look much different from the front, with the exception of the extra mailbox.
Matt Koupal and his wife can now be reached at 650 Rear, while their son Luke and three new roommates occupy 650 Front.
The extension is designed for their 26-year-old son with special needs to gain independence, while also allowing them to appreciate their own space, without being too far away.
“This is really a win-win situation because my bride and I will have a separate living space. We’ll be close to Luke to support him, but not have that day-to-day responsibility to care for him. Which is really what we need and what he needs,” said Matt.
After four years of construction, zoning discussions, and other red tape, it’s almost time for the roommates, all of whom also have special needs, to move in. The tentative date is March 4.
“I think that’s one of the best parts of this is finding young men that need a place where they can grow and thrive just like Luke. That they can share their interests together,” said Matt. “That took us quite a while to find the guys but we feel like we’ve got a really good group of guys that are going to be successful and really enjoy living the rest of their lives together here.”
Matt believes they are the only family in Illinois undergoing a project like this. But he hopes other families with special needs children will see their model and find an option.
“You need to think about the future and I know the future’s a really scary place. If you don’t have a plan for your son or daughter with special needs and you’re aging, you need to kind of develop that vision,” said Matt. “The model we’ve created here is an option for you to think about.”
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
