When I was in my sophomore year of high school, I did not have many friends. I stuck with teachers rather than classmates. For a time, I was alone, and my comfort was to read or listen to music. I read more than I talked to new people, and everyone did not care. I liked being alone, but when I saw friends laugh with each other and be happy together, it just made me want to put my nose in my book some more. I tried to forget that I was alone. I just wanted to have someone be there for me who was not a teacher.

The books that I read kept me distracted from all the loneliness that I felt. The book series that I read was called the Heroes of Olympus by Rick Riordan. My favorite series is Percy Jackson and the Olympians, written by the same author. I like this series because Percy Jackson has ADHD and dyslexia. He was in special education classes like I have been in for school. I had a traumatic brain injury when I was very little. I had an IEP throughout my 13 years of school. I was around kids like Percy Jackson. Kids who had ADHD, who was blind, dyslectic, traumatic brain injuries, or other disabilities.

My disabilities are physical. I have fine motor skills and struggle to do things with my hands, like typing or cutting things in a straight line when I cut food. I also cannot see out of my left eye. I have limitations, but I have learned to overcome them with practice. I go to physical therapy once a week to get stronger, and with school, I have been practicing typing a lot more.

One day, while I was going to one of my classes, Natalie wrote something about a character from Heroes of Olympians. His name is Leo Valdez. He is a skinny kid who has ADHD and has lived in and out of foster homes. He lost his mom in a fire. Leo is immune to fire because his dad is Hephaestus, and he inherited that power from his father. I liked Leo Valdez because he was alone like me. He did not have any friends either. I do not remember what was on my arm, but someone understood the reference and started talking. That morning, I came to school and began to set down my backpack and grab my headphones. I was just about to sit down when Allison, said, “Is that a Hero of Olympians reference?” I responded and said, “Yeah”. Allison asked me more questions about the series, and I sat next to her in class, and we would talk about Percy Jackson and the Heroes of Olympians. I had one class period with her, but she made the day a little brighter. I did not know this when we met, but she needed a friend too. Together we met more people and now are close friends. We have a trip planned together with our friends in the future.

Reading was something that impacted my high school years. If I did not read Heroes of Olympus at that time, I do not know if I would have met my friend. She is essential to me. As stated before, Rick Riordan is the author of this series and is a favorite author of mine. His son, whom Percy is based off, recently got a degree in special education and teaching. In a social media post, Rick said this about his son. “My son, who struggled with learning differences, inspired Percy Jackson so many years ago. [he] received his Masters of Education degree and certificate of disability services because he wants to help people struggling like he did”. To me, that is the magnitude of reading. Riordon showed his son and so many others like me that people with disabilities are not depressed and are not invisible.

In society, people with disabilities are seen as dependent on others. Rick changed that he made us heroes. We are fighters, and we are strong. We are not a burden to others. Hearth, for example, is a deaf alf; his dad rejects him. He tells him to use a board to write instead of learning sign language. He is very abusive to him if he does not use the board. All of Riordan’s characters have some disability. That is why I like this series; it makes me feel like a demigod, a hero, instead of someone who is often never in stories.

Reading is a way to connect with new groups of people and learn from them. Reading can empower people to see those who stand in the back of the room or stand up with someone in times of need. Reading can change your perspective on what you see and look for ways to shine your light on others. Reading also made me feel like someone was always there for me, even if no one was. It made the hard days easier to get through and to be ok for the day.

Sophomore year was just a tiny part of my life; however, the more I think about it, the more I realize that my experience of being alone was a chance to find my friend who was lost and realize that my story has power! Just like Rick Riardon’s son, I, too, can be lifted in strength from others and empower the future generation. I am not ashamed of my disabilities, and disabilities do not define me. They are a part of me, but they are not the whole picture. The support that I got from my friend and this series is what I want to bring to the people that I associate with in my life. I want people to see that everyone has a story, and sometimes you just need to be open to hear it.