One disabled man’s bold decision to adopt three teenage boys is making waves–and for good reason.
—
It is said that man should never tear anyone down unless they’re willing to build them back up. It’s said that if man does something good–for himself or others, it will come back ten-fold. As someone who still believes in the good of others, despite all the negativity in the world today, this seems like common knowledge. It even feels like second nature.
Some might agree. Others might say it’s difficult to show kindness when the world is often so cold and relentless. One thing is for sure, however. It takes a special person to truly be selfless and give to others from deep down in their soul–and according to an article published by the National Public Radio (NPR), Ollie Cantos, a disability advocate for the US Department of Education, has a heart of gold.
Cantos, a blind man living in a small, close-knit community, made national headlines when the news broke that he is currently in the process of adopting three young boys who are also blind. The boys–Leo, Nick and Steven–are brothers and have been blind since birth. Their mother, who is unnamed in the article, was unwedded and soon found herself unable to care for her sons. That’s when Cantos decided to step in.
Aware of the boys’ situation, Cantos made the decision to knock on the family’s door one fateful day in 2014. From that point on, he knew he was doing something worthwhile:
“”Whenever I hear you call me ‘Dad,’ ” Cantos told NPR. “It’s the highest compliment to me. You three used to be in the same situation that I was, and to see you come out of that and to be the way you guys are now, it’s impossible to describe how grateful I am that I get to be your dad.”
Leo recalls a few moments when he felt lost, and how Cantos filled the void of a fatherless childhood:
“Every day was like: Wake up, go to school, come back home, and then you stay there for the rest of the day,” Leo said. “There were certain things that I wish I could do, like I wish I could go out and play in the snow like everyone else. ‘Cause I’ve heard kids through the window — we could hear that they were having fun. The only thing I remember, when I was 7, we went to McDonald’s and we went to the park. We rarely went outside.”
He continued, highlighting a moment Ollie was approached by a local store clerk:
“One day, the store clerk asked Cantos if [I] was his son. Before Cantos could answer, I put [my] arm around him and said, “Yeah, that’s my dad.”
Nick even chimed in, explaining what his life was like before Ollie stepped in:
“[It] got so bad, I wanted to die, but it was one of the decisions I’m glad I did not make because I would have missed out on everything.”
The headline of the NPR article says: “The lives of three brothers changed when ‘Dad’ came knocking.” I think it’s safe to say Ollie Cantos is changing more than just their lives with this story. In fact, in the video above, Cantos sends a powerful message about pushing oneself beyond what others think.
Watch, listen, and learn.
—
***
Improve your writing, expand your reach, and monetize your craft.
Join The Good Men Project’s Writers’ Community on Patreon.
We welcome all experience levels.
Learn more on our Patreon page.
***
—
Photo Credit: www.npr.org
Erin, I just came across your blog and wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for such kind words! In addition to more background information at http://www.OllieCantos.com, for your reference, below are a few additional links to items that further tell our story, which actually began in May 2010: ———- ABC News Story: http://youtu.be/ZVHXeoKSxiM PEOPLE Magazine Video 1 (Wednesday 04/27/2016): http://www.people.com/people/videos/0,,21002657,00.html PEOPLE Magazine Video 2 (Thursday 04/28/2016): http://www.people.com/people/mobile/video/0,,21002661,00.html PEOPLE Magazine Online Article via Mobile Phone (with print version circulated to more than 40 million): http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,21003008,00.html NowThis Post on FB (05/25/2016) — 1.7 Million Views, 30,900 Likes, and 15,400 Shares:… Read more »