David Aldrich has spent his life serving students with the most severe disabilities—those who others often don’t know how to reach. As Supervisor of Severely and Profoundly Handicapped for the Virginia Department of Education, he led efforts to bring education and support to those long misunderstood. The Boy In A Bucket is a novel, but it reflects years of hands-on knowledge, challenges, and quiet victories. It also draws from David’s lifelong passion for music, which echoes throughout the story as Mikey begins to find his voice through sound. David knows what it means to work with students no one else wants to teach—and he knows the quiet reward of seeing one of them smile, connect, or succeed. With warmth and realism, he’s crafted a novel that doesn’t just entertain—it tells the truth. Dedicated to Sandy, the one he ever truly loved, this book is as personal as it is powerful.