Special Girl Gets Own Home

By Bill Spencer, WXYZ

At 21-years-old, battling cerebral palsy and confined to a wheelchair, Lilliya Bromberg can find happiness in almost anything – whether it’s looking at pictures on Facebook or enjoying a simple snack.

Lilliya loves life and most of all loves people.

But now, after years of living in a cramped one-bedroom 400-square foot apartment with both of her parents, Lilliya desperately needs a home away from home where she can visit with her friends and have fun.

Now an amazing charity called The Friendship Circle in West Bloomfield is teaming up with a whole group of local contractors to build Lilliya a brand new home.

An apartment, actually, all her own, where she can go for several hours each day and just be with her friends, like any other normal 21-year-old woman.

“What we need to do is find this special, magical place for Lilliya, that is private and is a place where she can breathe and enjoy her friends and her freedom away from mom and dad,” says Bassie Shemtov, the director of The Friendship Circle.

Created in 1994, The Friendship Circle helps 3,500 special needs children every year live more adventurous, more joyous, more independent lives.

For most of her young life, Lilliya has been a part of The Friendship Circle. Now, the people who run the charity want to change her life forever, by giving Lilliya just what she needs most right now – a place of her own where she can get away and just be herself.

“Friends are the most important thing in the world to me, especially to me,” Lilliya says.

Her new home will be ready in about 4-weeks, all thanks to a whole list of generous contractors and building suppliers.