Thursday, November 29, 2007

Adopted from Russia, Deaf Student Enjoys Life in America

A couple of weeks ago, my son David asked if he could have a new friend over. "Sure," I said. After all, the reason we fought to have him attend a different high school was to end the social isolation he was experiencing in middle school.

David's friend Aleksey came over with another friend and the guys played video games. Aleksey and his friend came over another weekend, playing video games and hanging out. It was clear that David enjoyed being with his new friends.

Aleksey's story is an interesting one. Born with Treacher Collins Syndrome, he grew up in an orphanage in Russia and came to America just before he turned twelve. His parents found him through the Children's Hope International. You can read more about Aleksey here: The Ultimate Survivor.

Aleksey will be featured on the ABC News this morning at 11 a.m CST through an interview with Karen Meyer. The transcript is up and the captioned video will be available later today. Deaf Gymnast Excels.

8 comments:

RLM said...

Hi,

You did not enclose your son and his newfound friend's age range.

That would give us, readers much clearer picture how old your son and his friend are. Just pique. I did not see anything on your online profile how old your son, David is.

I am glad that your son is making a new friend and have him come over his own home. Good for David to expand his own world with someone adopted from Russia and learn something from Alexandy's worldy experiences.

You did not say if Alexandy is deaf himself. I have been acquainted with many deaf Russians including Jamie Berke's adopted deaf Russian sons. I am not a Russian in any way.

Deaf Russians are really very fascinating and interesting human beings. Many of them are intellectually smart.

Robert L. Mason (RLM)
RLMDEAF blog

RLM said...

I recently viewed the enclosed ABC-TV interview with Aleskey. So he is seventeeth years old.

I assume that your son is in the same age range like Aleskey. Okay?

So David and Alexsky are both teenagers.

RLM

Anonymous said...

I am so pleased to learn something interesting from you. Thank you, Karen!

Karen Putz said...

I don't always like to share too many details about my kids online. Sorry! You can see from my post that he's in high school.

Anonymous said...

hilarious that you don't want to give too much details about your kids but love to blog about them.

tastes like strawberry ice-cream without the strawberries.

maybe you can provide us with something more than just some kid making friends with some kid; was there deafness involved? why did you fight to have him in some specific school? Deaf School? did you fought to keep him in a hearing school? oh my, so many questions. I'm wasting my time.

Anonymous said...

However, i'm delighted to hear that your adopted son is having friends. the world needs more friends.

DEAFNAVYHARLEYDAVIDSONUSA said...

THAT IS GREAT AND IT WILL BE LOTS LEARN EXPERINCE DIFFERENT LIFE CULTURE WHAT IS SAME DEAF CULTURE OR DIFFERENT DEAF CULTURE WORLD WILL BE LOTS OF FUN AND LEARN LOTS OF DIFFERENT LIVES.

Judith said...

It is always refreshing when children so readily accept others. It is called Franceschetti-Zwahlen-Klein syndrome here, the facial deformities can be such that sufferers are often isolated (as well as half of them being deaf)so it is lovely that he has found acceptance.