I was small, deaf and spastic. Labeled retarded and hopeless, yet I became a senior chemist and linguist. That makes me smile.
I was born with cerebral palsy and deaf. For many years, my condition remained constant. Suddenly I am much worse and really scared. My body is messed up, in constant pain and memory failing.
Parts of my childhood were magical. I explored the forests, built kingdoms in the snow and played on the beaches of distant planets.
And then I started school. There I learned that I was different and that pain wasn’t always in my body - it was in my heart. With the label "retarded," I was made to go to handicapped school where I was bullied, beaten and frightened every day.
Until one day, I realized that other kids were scared, too. We fought back together. For every foot that kicked me or tripped me, there was a hand to help me, a friend to face down bigotry, bullying and discrimination. All my life, those hands have been there.
They say I am a renaissance man – but I am just Denys in a small, pain-filled body with a curious mind, open eyes and wonder in my heart.