Read on Twitter
It’s four am & like the rest of the neuromuscular community, I can’t sleep. So I want to tell you a sweet story It’s about @dominickevans, who is one of the most fabulous disability activists in the world. I’m a bit biased, because I regard him as my kid.
He wasn’t always my kid.
He wasn’t always my kid.
2/ We don’t know each other because we both have a type of muscular dystrophy. We know each other because we are both passionate defenders of disability rights. We met online, we live in different countries.
I’ve never hugged this son.
I’ve never hugged this son.
3/ This is how he became my kid. Some years back he was saying, wistfully, that he missed having a mum. His family rejected him for being transgender. I couldn’t conceive of rejecting a talented, compassionate,loving human like Dominick. I said ‘I’ll be your mum.’
4/ And so we started talking online - not just me, his new little sister too. And we got to know each other slowly through lovely long rambling conversations where we learned about each other. Dominick learned about Burger Rings. I learned Americans don’t use electric kettles.
5/ Perfect, really, when family chooses itself. And a fortnight ago, Dominick sent me a music file. He wanted to play for me, he said. He used to play the piano, played for his biological mum. He’d never played for me.
He used an online keyboard. The tune was ‘yesterday’.
He used an online keyboard. The tune was ‘yesterday’.
6/ I cried a bit - it was so sweet! You know sometimes when your kids do something unexpected, like a cup of tea or bring you a flower from the garden? Just something little, thoughtful and sweet that somehow means so much more.
When I was a kid, I played the piano, too.
When I was a kid, I played the piano, too.
7/ And now it is a few weeks on and his country is in the grips of a terrible thing, as is mine. And we are relying on everyone ELSE to keep us safe, both of us, far away.
I’m terrified just to go to the city today. But I wish I could fly to the US, right now. Despite.
I’m terrified just to go to the city today. But I wish I could fly to the US, right now. Despite.
8/ Those lyrics. ‘Now I need a place to hide away, how I long for yesterday’.
That’s not what we long for. We long for a tomorrow, where I can hug my eldest son for the first time. Thanks for staying home & helping make that happen, good people.
Wishing you all many tomorrows.
That’s not what we long for. We long for a tomorrow, where I can hug my eldest son for the first time. Thanks for staying home & helping make that happen, good people.
Wishing you all many tomorrows.
