By ISAIAH MARU C. DEOGRACIAS
I am no special kid, but I joined the Angels’ Walk for Autism again last Sunday as I do every year.
It’s the 18th year of kicking off the Autism Awareness Week with a walk with angels around the mall. But last Sunday was a treat to special children and their families as we were seated in the newest ultimate world class entertainment and sports venue, the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Among the most expensive dance concerts held here was that of Jennifer Lopez, the kind that may not have a space for special children.
When I stepped in The Arena for the first time, I began to imagine my favorite bands in a concert there, what a joy it could be. And I saw up close that joy in my brother in the songs and dances we both watched in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Autism Society of the Philippines there.
So what am I doing in this event and every year before this that I’d wake up early just to be here? It’s for my brother. This means a lot to him.
Older than me, my Kuya Giancarlo Miguel has autism. We’ve been together since birth, and since then I’ve learned to accept and love him for who he is. My mother always entrusted me with the responsibility of caring for him when they are no longer able to. As such, I’ve learned to prepare myself to handle the responsibility.
As a family member of someone with autism, there are certain lifestyles we can never be accustomed to, certain things that make us fairly special from others. But I couldn’t imagine life any other way. And going to this event is one of the ways I can show him my love. He couldn’t attend my graduations and events but I swear I’d attend his.
This year, as always, we came by the thousands, today more than half of the 16,000-seating capacity of The Arena. As one of the speakers, Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca put it, a differently-abled is never alone, the whole family goes with him. But what really hit me was to see Padaca in crutches yet she can still inspire persons with and without disabilities alike.
Having suffered polio at age three, Padaca amazed me that her disability proved no hindrance to her success as a person. It was at that moment that in my wishful thinking, I smiled as a looked at my brother.
This year’s advocacy walk to promote autism awareness not just made special by the venue but by the guests that made us feel that not only SM Cares by opening The Arena to us but also the government. Buhay Party-list Rep. Irwin Tieng, was not alone this year to make us feel special children have angels in congress championing their cause.
More than the mascots that danced before us, my brother was happy to see Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel on stage. One special peculiarity that I can be proud of my brother is how he knows every senator of this republic by name and their campaign jingle. While my brother was quick to associate Pimentel with former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, I would like to remember Pimentel for his efforts of reforming the 1992 Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities.
For special children and their families the only politics we know is what’s closest to home, anything and anyone helping to make this world a better place for PWD’s and special children – that’s our politics.
My brother’s 18 now, old enough to vote, but how can he? He can read, he can write, but he can’t vote just according to those he memorized from campaign jingles and slogans.
That’s why we vote in his behalf with our heart. It is our duty, as his family, to feel who truly cares for our special needs. His supposed to be one vote he can’t exercise is actually multiplied by the whole family.
On this day, my brother and those like him and our families were honored. We felt truly special as we walked around the mall greeted and being waved at by storekeepers, staff and employees of SM Mall of Asia. So far from the contemptuous stares and demeaning gazes that meet my brother’s tantrums in public.
This event is significant to me, because I’ll move up to college this year. This walk with my special brother, is just a step in the many walks I will have with him in this life. Every step I take forward and every climb up in my life is for my brother and as his one and only keeper. I shall walk with him and I will do my best to carry that responsibility, no matter how hard. Hand in hand with my brother, the walk will not be weary as we are each other’s angels.
(Isaiah Maru Deogracias, is a senior HS student of Statefields School in Cavite. He is a literary writer for their school paper, SSI Linkage.)