Meet Caeden

I work full time as a BIM technician. That stands for building information modeling. It’s basically taking all the information of a building and creating it in CAD, which is computer aided design, or 3D modelling software. I use it for security devices, so modelling all the security devices like cameras and card readers onto the floor plan of an existing building.

I went to a vocational high school and I was in the engineering program, so I got to try all the different parts of engineering. I was able to get certifications in auto CAD and Revit. In my senior year, I participated in a co-op program that provided hands-on, real-world experience. The company I worked for did MEP stuff, which is mechanical, electrical and plumbing. I did some drafting for them for a couple of months until a slowdown in workload prevented the company from keeping me on staff.

After that experience, the company my dad works for needed to expand their design team due to the demand. I submitted my resume and had several interviews and was offered a position. My dad works in managed security services, a different department than mine. I did collaborate with him on one project, which was a weird experience.

My job is fully remote so I work from home five days a week. My mom is my PCA (personal care attendant) three days a week. My parents’ work schedules allow them to assist me with my daily needs. Some parts of working from home I enjoy, like when it’s cold outside. The social part is the only part that’s not very good about being fully remote.

If I’m working eight hour days, sometimes by the end of the day I’m pretty tired from working on the computer all day. And I’m not able to go to any of the work sites to do anything on site because there’s no way to really get there. It’s kind of difficult because my mom and dad both work so it would be hard for one of them to take me. We considered buying an accessible van that I could drive, but after looking into the time required for adaptive driving classes and the overall cost, we decided it wasn’t the right choice for us.

During the weekend I play Volt Hockey with the Boston Whiplash. I’ve been on the team for almost 4 years now. It’s fun to be part of a team sport. There aren’t many team sports for people with Duchenne, so it’s meaningful to have the opportunity to participate in something that’s fast paced and competitive.

Last year we were up in Toronto for a tournament. I went to the Hockey Hall of Fame but Volt Hockey wasn’t there even though all these different adaptive forms of hockey were included. When we left, I asked someone at the desk if there was a way Volt Hocky could be added to the display. We emailed back and forth a bunch, and then I sent in a jersey, a paddle, a ball and a plaque from the 2023 World Cup. And when we were in Sweden for the World Cup this year, they emailed me to tell me the display was all set up. So I got to announce at the World Cup that Volt Hockey was in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

I’ve been on the USVHA board since Sept 2024. That’s the United States Volt Hockey Association. I’m the clerk/secretary so I’m in charge of taking notes during meetings. Our main aspiration is to try to grow the sport across the US. Right now, we have 2 active teams and two others that are getting started up so there are more teams popping up across the country.