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Mike Allee almost doesn't know what to do with himself. He can sleep in. He and his wife can go out of town for the weekend, or even for a week, if they like.

They have a newfound sense of freedom, but also sadness.

For more than two decades, Allee's entire life has been wrapped up in the care of his son, Jon Allee. For 20 years, he has woken up early in the morning to help his son bathe and eat breakfast. He has dressed his son in the morning and tucked him into bed at night.

But since Jon Allee moved into his own home three weeks ago, Mike Allee's house has seemed strangely silent.

Since his son was born with cerebral palsy -- caused by being deprived of oxygen for 15 minutes at birth -- Mike Allee never imagined that a day would come when his son would be ready to move out.

But the day came, and now Jon lives in a house with three roommates. Although he misses his dad, he said, he's happy to be living just like guys his own age -- in a house with three roommates and a pile of PlayStation video games.

Jon Allee is 22 years old. He spent six years in high school and then a year in the Stepping Stones transitional program.

But when he turned 21, the public school system no longer could provide funding for his services.

At that time, Jon was on a waiting list for Horizons Specialized Services.

Until Horizons had room for Jon, his parents had two choices. They could put him in a nursing home, which is the fate of many young people with physical or mental disabilities in the United States, or they could keep him at home.

"It was looking kind of bleak for him," Mike Allee said.

But the community of Steamboat Springs loves Jon Allee. A year ago, Horizons staff member Amy Ibarra stumbled upon some emergency state funding that had been set aside to keep people such as Jon from going to nursing homes.

When Horizons had the seed money, it put out a plea to the community for help. In the year since, community members have donated money, grants have come in, and the Euzoa Bible Church has organized two fund-raisers to help renovate a four bedroom, two-floor house into a wheelchair accessible group home. Doors were widened. A shower was outfitted just for Allee's needs, and an elevator was installed.

Allee's new bedroom looks like the room of any young, single guy -- sparsely decorated with a poster of John Lennon, a basketball poster and his ski helmet and goggles tossed on a table by the door. (Jon Allee has been skiing on a bi-ski for years.)

He lives with three other people -- Richard Yowell, Kelly Chambers and Marcella Chavez.

Jon Allee needs around-the-clock supervision by a Horizons staff member. Now that he is one of Horizons' 59 clients housed in residential or supported living situations, he will be cared for by Horizons for the rest of his life.

"Since he moved in here, Jon has been a lot more independent," Mike Allee said. "He's having a lot more fun. He's as happy as a clam."

Days before Jon moved out of his dad's house, Mike looked at him and said, "I'm going to miss you so much. I don't think I'm going to let you go."

Jon's face fell.

"Please," he said. "I want to."