Brains

My father-in-law was successful in the food service, then in the commercial real estate businesses. With an 8th grade education, this WWII best of America soul graduated valedictorian of the college of hard knocks. The great American success story. He was my best friend. What a wonderful person.

He never knew my DMD grandson, Hayes. They would have absolutely adored each other. Poppy liked to cut up, and Hayes likes adults who cut up with him, like me. Thanks, Poppy, for training me so well!

Hayes just brought home a straight A’s report card from the Second Grade. More importantly, he has been tested for a 147 IQ and is in the top 99 percentile of ALL American students in all grades! He is a brain. 

In addition, however, he is a favorite among his classmates (especially the girls) and really knows how to charm a room. Wow, what a combination of for a future influencer!

Why am I doting on smarts plus excellent people skills?  First, not everyone enjoys such a balance of talent. Secondly, Poppy would be proud, like me.

But, perhaps, most importantly, the combination of intellect and people skills just may result in Hayes’s admission to a top research university, then a clinical lab later, that could find a cure to Duchenne. Now, would that be monumental!

For those in our channel of Duchenne sufferers, let’s help the isolated but bright DMD youngsters become more social, encourage the social but not brilliant DMD youngsters learn more about the basic RRR’s to get ahead, and all of us others figure out where we can contrtibute, by whatever means are readily available to each of us. Let ‘s not let our particular  talents be  taken for granted. That would not be the smart thing to do.

Kindly yours,

Papa in Franklin