An empire of empathy
Special needs lead to a special business
Staff writer
Roman Dimattia loves to swing, jump, and be outside.
He is nearly 4, attends preschool in Marion, and communicates using a Tobii Dynavox eye-gaze device that allows him to “speak essentially with his eyes,” his mother, Lexie Dimattia, said.
Roman was born with IQSEC2 neurodevelopmental disorder, a rare genetic condition caused by a mutation on his X chromosome.
The disorder has led to a severe, difficult form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Roman also has autism, intellectual disability, and significant motor delays. He cannot crawl, walk, or stand independently and does not use his hands for grasping.
He attends specialized physical therapy in Wichita once or twice a week.
“The thing we deal with the most is just his epilepsy, because his seizures are really hard to control,” Dimattia said. “That’s what we’re focusing on now, giving him the best quality of life.”
Caring for Roman shapes daily life.
His schedule includes multiple appointments each week, along with therapies, specialized equipment, and treatments not always covered by insurance.
“It can be overwhelming,” Dimattia said. “There’s a lot of things that we do for him that insurance doesn’t cover, and to me, I feel like those are necessities.”
During one stretch, Roman had three hospital stays in a single year as doctors worked to manage his seizures.
Even with insurance, many needs fall to the family. These include supplements, alternative care, and equipment such as gait trainers or bath chairs, which can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars.
That reality led Dimattia to turn a hobby into a business.
“Being a stay-at-home mom, I wanted to try to contribute financially too,” she said.
The result was her home bakery, Roman Empire Co.; named after Roman.
Roman Empire Co. offers sourdough items, breads, coffee cakes, and homemade pop tarts, which have become its most popular item. Most orders come from local customers.
“I feel like they’ve been super supportive,” Dimattia said.
The business also provides critical flexibility.
“It allows me to have my own schedule so I can work around all of his appointments,” she said. “It just fits into our life better.”
That balance is rooted in a move back to Marion that came together quickly after years in Wichita.
Dimattia and her husband had discussed her staying home with Roman but could not make it work financially in Wichita. Moving to Marion, where her family lives, became more realistic after they learned they were expecting another child.
“We knew it was best for me to be home with Roman full-time, and with another one on the way, it just made the most sense,” she said.
Within a couple of months, Dimattia’s husband found a job in Marion, she left her position in health care administration, and the family moved.
Weeks later, Roman began having seizures, leading to a difficult summer as doctors worked to bring them under control.
“We are glad we got here when we did,” Dimattia said. “The way everything panned out so quickly but perfectly timed was honestly a God thing.”
She said she believes their move to Marion happened when it needed to.
“God has definitely had his hand in navigating our lives as a special needs family, and it’s evident that moving to Marion was just part of his plan for us,” she said. “We’re thankful to be here and thankful that I’m able to be Roman’s primary caregiver now.”
In Marion, Roman attends a smaller school, which Dimattia said has been highly supportive and able to give him more individualized attention.
At home, the business named after him continues to grow alongside his needs.
“It’s such a blessing to be able to work from home like this, and have such a supportive community so that I’m able to be here for Roman when I need to be,” she said. “I’m just here to try and support my family the best that I can.
“We’re just so grateful for our little community.”
The Dimattia’s journeys with Roman are chronicled on the family’sr Facebook page, Roman’s Empire - Special Needs Parenting.
Roman Empire Co. also can be reached via the Facebook page.
According to Dimattia, Roman’s favorite are the pop tarts.