2025 Unsung Heroes: Celebrating Priyanka Somani of Redmond

Seattle’s Child is proud to partner with the state Department of Children, Youth and Families Strengthening Families Washington to honor outstanding caregivers doing important work on behalf of children. Throughout February, we’ll introduce you to Unsung Heroes from around the state. Enjoy their stories.

Priyanka Somani, Redmond

Priyanka’s beautiful child is 100 percent disabled, tube fed, unable to take care of herself in any way. She is nonverbal, and while she can walk, she can’t always be persuaded to do so. Priyanka waits patiently for hours daily, never raising her voice, never expressing anger, trying to get her daughter to do the most simple things.

In addition to having responsibility for her child many hours each day (her husband takes the others), Priyanka has a stressful job to which she devotes enormous energy, taking on extra work, going without sleep, exercise or eating, wanting to prove she is an exceptional employee.

But the thing that to me is most amazing about Priyanka is how, despite the 24-hour-a-day, nonstop pressures of caring for her child and work, when you are with her, she is positive, up and fun! She loves to give parties. Despite the difficulties of doing so, she pulls them off, every detail perfect, as if she has all the time in the world.

I have never heard Priyanka complain about her life in general. She mourns the loss of her child’s childhood to dozens of operations, ever more numerous diagnoses and the inability to participate in life. But Priyanka’s spirit is joyful, enthusiastic and beautiful. She is someone others are drawn to and want to spend time with. I am overcome with admiration whenever I am with her. I can’t imagine anyone more deserving of this honor than my friend, Priyanka.

— Lynn Colwell

NOTE: Seattle’s Child is running these stories as written by the people who submitted them, in keeping with the DCYF Unsung Hero process.