This inspirational piece is about so many things: it is about inclusion, it is about friendship, it is about a professional who is thoughtful, passionate and committed, it is about community development, it is about an individual man and it is about powerful strategies which support the social value of people with disabilities. Joe's individual gift eventually transformed his life. The problem had been however, that he had been so swamped by labels for his deficiencies, that all people saw when they saw him, were the labels. It wasn't until somebody decided to ignore those labels, and look for his gifts, that he became a valued individual. Keyword: Inclusion