Advertisement
Jonathan Bryan, a 10-year-old boy who’s born with severe cerebral palsy, successfully learned how to communicate with the use of his own eyes, according to Mirror.
Jonathan was diagnosed as a “locked-in” patient. It means that a person has lost the ability to control his or her own body except some movements from facial muscles.
Jonathan learned how to communicate through a spelling board, in which he would at the direction corresponding to a group of letters. After somehow perfecting this technique, Jonathan can’t stop communicating his thoughts.
To prove his prowess and command of the English language, Jonathan joined a 2,500-word story competition for BBC Radio. According to Mirror, Jonathan took at least 30 hours to write the whole piece.
Jonathan said, “If more people had believed in me I would have learnt to read and write at the same time as my peers in the mainstream class.”
"What brings me incredible sorrow is watching my non-verbal friends in wheelchairs miss out on the fullness of life because no-one believes that they are worth teaching literacy to.”
"They are waiting locked in for someone to give them a chance to have a voice. Before, I felt like a bird in a cage. Now it is great. I love being able to tell my family and friends that I love them.”
"It has made a massive difference for me being able to say what I want. My dream is that every child like me is taught to read write and spell using the best access method for them."
Chantal, Jonathan’s mom, can’t fully express how proud she is for her son. She said, “It was a breakthrough. I can’t describe what that’s like to be able to talk to your child for the first time.”
Chantal, who’s 39, suffered from a car crash that caused a placental abruption while she was carrying Jonathan. She had to give birth to him while he was only 36 weeks old.
Chantal said, “Unlike an adult who is locked in, I needed to teach Jonathan how to spell. Then after a year and a half, we were working on a story, and he kept selecting the 'spelling board.
She continued, “He was unlocked. He was writing something quite original and he spelled out the word 'myriad.’”
Jonathan said, “My dream is that every non-verbal child is taught to read and write. Underestimating special needs children is robbing them of their right to education and communication.”
Jonathan hopes that the world will reach the day that every kid that has the same condition or situation as he has could have easy access to such learning tool and privileges.
Watch the video here:
