Our region lost an amazing and inspiring leader for families dealing with autism, Down syndrome and other special needs this week when Boyer Children's Clinic leader Judith Moore died in a tragic bicycling accident.

Over the last three decades, Moore was behind an effort that built the Montlake clinic into a nationally recognized site for children to receive comprehensive treatment and support. She fought for and won passage of critical legislation to get insurance coverage of neurodevelopmental therapies and helped in many other ways, the clinic recalled in a statement.

I often describe Boyer as a womb for families as they navigate difficult territory soon after a diagnosis, a place where parents and their children can prepare for preschool, kindergarten and the rest of their lives. What I remember about the clinic is how warm and professional it was, tucked inside a brick building that looked more like a home.

“I remember calling nights when she was in the basement of the old building fixing the furnace that had gone out. When the entire facility deteriorated beyond repair, she led a capital campaign and built the magnificent professional home of which you boast today,” recalled Mimi Siegel, executive director of the Kindering Center in Bellevue.

Moore mentored Siegal and others, training a wave of leaders who helped and fought for families trying to secure treatment and a fair start for their children. Like many early learning leaders in Washington, Moore made improving the lives of the state’s youngest citizens her life’s work.

Author Sherman Alexie, whose son went to Boyer, said it far better than I could.

“Judi made a life out of protecting the most vulnerable among us. To honor her legacy and her life, we would all do well to emulate her example,” Alexie said in a statement released by the clinic.

Moore’s death leaves a huge hole in Seattle’s special needs community, though she will live on through the families she helped and the clinic she built.

If you want to share your memories of Moore or make a donation in her name, click here.