His Greatest Assist

Special Needs Dayhab

ByCraig Hewitt

Former FMHS Basketball Coach Creates Nonprofit for Adults with Special Needs

As a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and former student assistant coach for basketball legend Dean Smith, you could say basketball flows through Eric Littleton’s veins. After becoming the youngest 6A head coach in the state of Oklahoma, he bounced around the country, exceeding expectations with each coaching gig. 

However, his greatest challenge still awaited him — not on the court, but at home. 

In late 2008, one of his twin sons, Solomon, contracted a devastating neurological illness that would change the Littletons’ lives. Within months, Solomon’s condition deteriorated until he became unresponsive. He spoke his last words on June 27, 2009. When Solomon finally awoke in October that year, he was nonverbal. 

Making matters worse, Solomon was dropped from the family’s insurance plan, leaving the Littletons unable to give Solomon the medical care he needed. Out of necessity, Eric and his wife Marci looked for a new home, and the city of Flower Mound answered the call. 

“Flower Mound picked us up, dusted us off, and embraced us with open arms,” Eric shared. 

Eric served as the head coach of Flower Mound High School boy’s basketball team for 13 years, breaking school records for the most wins and most consecutive playoff appearances. 

His children, including Solomon’s twin brother, Isaac, and younger sister, Carolina, would grow up attending Flower Mound schools. Meanwhile, Solomon would benefit from services made available to the Littletons through the public school system. 

After his illustrious coaching and teaching career, Eric envisioned himself riding off into the sunset, but the sun had different plans for him. 

Eric and Marci Littleton began imagining a place like Special Needs Dayhab as an answer to a deeply personal need that many families know all too well. After their son Solomon aged out of the public school system at 22, they saw firsthand how limited the options were for young adults with disabilities who still needed structure, community, and meaningful daily engagement. 

Rather than accept the shortage of meaningful services, they envisioned something new — a program that would provide a safe, nurturing, and inclusive environment where individuals with special needs can grow, learn, and engage with their community. 

“I feel like my 30 years of coaching prepared me for this next chapter,” Eric said.

The organization’s approach centers on relationship-building and individualized support. Instead of focusing on limitations, Special Needs Dayhab emphasizes potential, helping each person build confidence, strengthen independence, and experience success in ways that are meaningful to them. Through the program’s blend of in-house activities and community-based outings, Special Needs Dayhab offers opportunities for social interaction, hands-on learning, life skills practice, and recreational engagement. 

Community partnerships play a huge role in the program’s success. In fact, had it not been for the community rallying around the program, Special Needs Dayhab would have never left the ground. When the Littletons moved to Whitesboro in August 2024, they lacked the funding and a facility to house the nonprofit. Making matters worse, shortly after their move, Eric suffered a debilitating stroke. It was a moment that could have ended their mission before it began.

“I remembered looking at Marci and saying, ‘I just don’t know if I can do this,’” Eric confessed. “But then, it was like I heard God’s voice in a gentle wind, saying to me, ‘Tell the story, and I’ll do the rest.” 

After sharing his story with Pastor Dana Coker of First United Methodist Church in Whitesboro, the church eagerly joined the cause, providing them a space to serve as a base of operations. Next, they received an application for employment from a local resident with 20 years of experience working with people with special needs. This, despite the fact that the Littletons never even placed an ad for a position.

Simply hearing their story was enough of an incentive to get involved. A local car dealership donated a passenger van to the nonprofit. Five months later, Special Needs Dayhab became an official nonprofit, and they were off and running.

“With every obstacle we ran into, someone stepped in to help,” Eric said. “It’s been an amazing journey.”

The Littletons’ story reflects what can happen when communities invest in each other. After all, individuals play the game, but it takes a team to win championships.

For more information or to donate, visit Special Needs Dayhab.

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