An Ottawa-area single father who says his bright, but severely disabled son has fallen between the cracks of provincial health programs is turning to crowdfunding to help pay for his care needs.

Eight-year-old Kyram Dear was born four months premature and has severe cerebral palsy. He is not able to talk, walk, or sit, and is profoundly deaf.

But the Richmond, Ont., boy also has a sharp mind, a love of life, and what his father, Myles, says is a winning attitude.

Life hasn't been easy for the Richmond, Ont., family. Kyram's mother, Simone, struggled with several miscarriages and two stillbirths before Kyram arrived. But not long after her son's birth, a medical condition Simone had worsened. She died three years ago, at the age of 40.

“She had one good year with (Kyram) after he came home from the hospital,” Myles told CTV Ottawa. “And she poured her time into him.”

For years, Myles had trouble communicating with his son, not even knowing if he could understand him. But then, two years ago, Kyram started to communicate through blinks.

“It was an exciting prospect two years ago, to understand that he was capable of this,” Myles said.

Kyram has recently started using a specially-configured computer that allows him to manipulate a computer by making clicking sounds into a microphone.

Kyram quickly proved just how sharp he is. Within a year, he had progressed from a pre-Kindergarten reading and writing ability to a Grade 3 level. He's now going to school with kids his age.

Developmentally, Kyram is making huge achievements. But physically, he has big needs and requires 24-hour care. He needs a Disability Support Worker to help him throughout the day, and, because he's been known to stop breathing while sleeping, he needs a nurse awake at his bedside every night.

Only a portion of Kyram's care needs are funded by the provincial government. Myles has been supplementing that with life insurance money from his late wife. But Myles says his son’s costly health needs are falling through the cracks of two provincial departments.

“And in fact, last Friday, we just ran out of money. That fund is now exhausted,” he says.

So Myles has taken Kyram’s cause online. He has set up a crowdfunding page to help raise $65,000. That’s enough, Myles says, to support his son for one year, which should help buy time while he files appeals with the province for more permanent funding.

Myles said he simply wants able to support his son's growing love of learning and life and allow him to reach his full potential.

“I love this little boy with all my heart,” he said. “(I'm) trying to do right by my wife’s memory.”

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Eric Longley