Having a sibling, or any family member, that is special needs for that matter changes your life - for the better. You not only think about yourself but you get to the happiness that they experience everyday you also have to do a bit more around the house and outside when you go out to different places. You may have to find the ramp or elevator or even move some furniture around so their wheelchair can fit. Or even before you leave the house, you may have to help them change their clothes or brush their hair even if some days they fight with you about this. But then again every person is different and every disability is different but I know I would never change a thing about my life with my little brother.
Since everyone is different, you should probably get a better understanding of my little brother: Aaron Matthew Mullen born on January 6, 2001. Switch those numbers around and you get 61, our family number, the number I wear on my back, all for him.
My parents were told he wouldn't survive let alone be able to breathe, eat, or even make a noise but here we are 15 years later and this miracle child is surprising everyone. Aaron suffers from 13q-, this means he is missing part of his 13th chromosome, but that doesn't stop him from anything. He still does everything like "normal" kids his age, I put normal in quotations because to me Aaron is normal teenage boy to me. He sits in his room for hours playing Xbox, where he drives the cars perfectly between the lines and even follows traffic laws, believe me no one ever thought that would be possible. Even watches Netflix before bed and he sets everything up himself, to you this may seem like basic things, but to me this is a special needs child learning on his own and doing things no one thought could happen.
Because of Aaron the littlest things put me the biggest smile on my face. Hearing Aaron yell my name every morning before he gets on the bus for summer school, to the "I love you" he yells as my Mom pushes him out the front door. This kid warms my heart. Saying words like 'tomorrow,' using new signs he's learning in school around the house or counting to 10 are huge steps coming from the little boy who wasn't suppose to make it.
Yea, he might not be able to walk but that doesn't stop him. Stop him from getting into trouble, like going into the bathroom and putting hair gel or tooth-paste EVERYWHERE. But this little guy still plays baseball and ice skates, two of his favorite things (behind spaghetti, of course).
The hardest part about his disability is that he can't always express whats wrong or going on. When he's sick, he lets us know what hurts or if he/s going to throw up. But that's all, can't tell us how long he's felt that way, how painful it is, or anything like that. But don't get me wrong Aaron is a talker, constantly asking "How are ya?" or asking where Mom is, or my favorite "Watch T.V.?"
So yea, Aaron may be special needs but that doesn't change the fact that he is intelligent and kind-hearted. He has had so much struggle in his life that he deserves the world, I love that kid, he is my sunshine. Yea we may take more time getting out of the car because we have to put his wheelchair together, or it took us a little longer to leave the house because Aaron was being a typical teenager and arguing about putting the controller down. I wouldn't want my life any other way, he is this way for a reason and I sure am blessed.
