Fourteen-year-old Bryan Perrier was diagnosed with Spina Bifida at birth, but at age two, he was showing signs that he would soon be walking. And despite the odds, he did! Bryan has been walking since he was three years old, and although he still prefers to use his crutches or wheelchair for longer distances, he refuses to let anything slow him down. His mother, Tishara Cushenberry, shares, “He has had several surgeries since birth, but he lets nothing get in his way.”
He has formed a strong bond with his pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Lori McBride of Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health. “When the two of them are together, his goofy side comes out,” Cushenberry adds.
Despite his diagnosis, Bryan is just like any other teenage boy. He loves wrestling and shares that his favorite wrestler is Daniel Bryan, even though he recently retired. He’s also a big Drew Brees fan, and he’s always ready to cheer on the Saints every Sunday.
Bryan is currently in eighth grade, and he is doing extremely well in his classes, making all As and Bs. He also can’t wait to go to college, even though he hasn’t yet decided which one he wants to attend. When he does decide, though, he hopes to study to become a zookeeper so he can watch and take care of animals.
This month, Bryan will be competing in the Wheels to Succeed bike race for the third year in a row. In his first two years competing, Bryan came in second place each time, and he can’t wait to get back out there this year.
Through it all, Bryan has remained the outgoing, comical, and friendly teen he has always been. And though times may get tough, we know that Bryan will get through them all with a smile on his face because he is truly One Amazing Kid.
Do you have One Amazing Kid? Email education@brparents.com.
