My Brother, My Hero

    I’m 15 years old. My brother, Evan, is 12. When we were little, we loved to play pretend. We’d put the armchair covers on our heads and pretend they were our long hair. We’d strap on our backpacks and pretend we were secret agents. 

    Now that we’re older, we do other things. We watch videos on YouTube. We swim. We play outside. Evan makes me laugh. He’s the smartest seventh-grader I know.

    But most kids never find out how funny, kind, and wise Evan is. That’s because most kids don’t get to know him. He doesn’t get invited to birthday parties. He doesn’t get picked first in gym class.

Evan has a disability. Often, people see only the ways he’s different. But in many ways, he’s like other kids. He loves video games, reading, and being outdoors.

    Evan’s disability is just one small part of who he is.

    When my brother, Evan, and I were little, we loved playing pretend. Sometimes we’d put the armchair covers over our heads and make believe they were our long hair. Other times we’d strap on our backpacks and imagine we were secret agents. 

    Now that Evan is 12 and I’m 15, we enjoy spending time together in other ways. We watch videos on YouTube, go swimming, or run around outside. Evan makes me laugh really hard. He’s so much smarter than any other seventh-graders I know.

    But most kids never find out how funny, kind, and wise Evan is—because most kids don’t get to know Evan at all. He doesn’t get invited to birthday parties. He doesn’t get picked first in gym class.

    Evan has a disability, and people often see only the ways he’s different. They don’t see that in many ways, he’s just like anyone else. He loves video games, reading, and being outdoors.

    Evan’s disability is just one small part of who he is.

    Evan has faced challenges his entire life. He was born 15 weeks early and suffered bleeding in his brain. 

    Because of this, Evan has something called cerebral palsy. It’s a medical disorder that can cause problems with moving and speaking. 

    Evan’s cerebral palsy may make him seem different when you first meet him. He walks with braces on his legs. And sometimes he makes sudden sounds called tics. 

    Evan also doesn’t have as much social awareness as other kids his age. That means it can be hard for him to understand what other people are thinking and feeling. 

    Sometimes that causes Evan to talk too much. But he doesn’t mean to take over the conversation. Usually he’s just really excited and doesn’t want to lose people’s attention. 

    Evan has faced challenges all his life. He was born 15 weeks early and suffered bleeding in his brain.

    Because of this, Evan has cerebral palsy. This medical disorder can cause problems with moving and speaking.

    Evan might seem different when you meet him. He walks with braces on his legs. And sometimes he makes sudden sounds called tics.

    He also has less social awareness than other kids his age. That means it can be hard for him to know what other people are thinking and feeling.

    Sometimes Evan talks too much. But he doesn’t mean to. He just gets excited. He doesn’t want to lose people’s attention. 

    Evan has faced challenges his entire life. He was born 15 weeks early and suffered bleeding in his brain.

    As a result, Evan has cerebral palsy, a medical disorder that can cause problems with moving and speaking.

    Evan’s cerebral palsy may make him appear different when you first meet him. He walks with braces on his legs, and sometimes he makes sudden sounds called tics.

    Evan also doesn’t have as much social awareness as other kids his age, so it can be difficult for him to understand what other people are thinking and feeling.

    Sometimes that causes Evan to talk too much—but he doesn’t mean to monopolize the conversation. Usually he’s just really excited and doesn’t want to lose people’s attention. 

    Don’t get me wrong. Evan is still my little brother. He can annoy me as much as any little brother annoys his sister! I get frustrated when my parents are easier on him. Sometimes I even resent Evan. Then I feel guilty for feeling that way.

    But mainly I want to protect Evan. I want people to treat him normally. I hate when they stare at him, avoid him, or talk to him in a baby voice—as if he’s dumb.

    When this happens, he’ll reply: “I can hear you just fine. How are you today?” It makes me laugh. And it reminds me that he doesn’t need me to protect him.  

    Don’t get me wrong—Evan is still my little brother, and he can annoy me as much as any little brother annoys his sister! I often get frustrated when my parents are easier on him. Sometimes I even resent Evan—and then I feel guilty for feeling that way.

    But mainly I want to protect Evan. I just want people to treat him normally. I hate when they stare at him, avoid him, or talk to him in a baby voice—as if he’s dumb.

    When this happens, he’ll reply: “I can hear you just fine. How are you today?” It always makes me laugh. It’s also a valuable reminder that Evan doesn’t need me to protect him. He’s independent in his own way. 

    Some days I wish Evan didn’t have cerebral palsy. That way he wouldn’t have to work so hard or feel left out.

    But I’m grateful for all that Evan’s challenges have taught our family. We support each other. And we’ve learned to have empathy for others.

    Teens hear many messages about treating people equally. It’s easy to tune them out or think they don’t apply to you.

    But every kid deserves to be included. You can make that happen. It starts with a simple thing: Just say hi. 

    Some days I wish Evan didn’t have cerebral palsy. That way he wouldn’t have to work so hard or feel excluded.

    But I’m also grateful for all that Evan’s challenges have taught our family. We always support each other and have learned to have empathy for others.

    Teens like me are constantly hearing messages about treating people equally, and I know how easy it can be to start tuning them out or thinking they don’t apply to you.

    But please understand that every kid deserves to be included, and that you have the power to make that happen.

    It starts with the simplest thing: Just say hi.