About our daughter Camille

Camille

 Camille Butchikas

Camille Butchikas says her dream is to be an animator and artist. At age 26, she already has progressed toward that dream.

 

But there's much more to Camille's story. She is autistic, and the children's book she finished illustrating was begun by a family friend who died at age 26.


Camille's family has seen her grow from a withdrawn girl "with about a 10-word vocabulary" to a young woman intent on a career, says her stepmother, Carolyn Butchikas.


Though autism still makes each of Camille's days unpredictable, Carolyn says, the family knows she has made a breakthrough.

 

Camille's book: "Elka Jane" is a true success!

Camille donating her artwork

Elka Jane

"Elka Jane" began with writings and drawings by Brooke Holt on 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper. Brooke was the daughter of Bill and Cindy Holt, longtime friends of Carolyn Butchikas, and her unexpected death in Tampa in February 2007 came as a shock to both families. "Some person gave her a (pain) pill that was going to make her feel better with a migraine and it killed her," said Cindy Holt. "So it's a sad story, but the only happy ending is that we still have things to share."

 

"When we had to clean out the apartment," Holt said, "we found all kinds of artwork and books and stories, lots of journals; we always journaled. That was just something we did."

 

Carolyn Butchikas said when Camille saw the beginnings of "Elka Jane," she "just went straight into her computer room and closed the door." A couple of days later, George Butchikas told Carolyn that Camille had something to show her. Camille did illustrations to finish "Elka Jane," using Brooke Holt's originals. The result is a 40-page book about a girl who "fell asleep to be Queen... Queen of her world."


As days went by and "the rest of the kids played, "Elka kept sleeping. When she awoke, Brooke Holt wrote, "She was no longer queen...but the world seemed to make sense." As Camille brought "Elka Jane" to reality, Carolyn Butchikas said, Camille asked, "Do I make you so proud?" Yes, Carolyn answered. "You make me so proud."