"Little Levi" Krystosek

Everyday, I am learning why we were blessed with Levi. Of course, he brings all of us so much joy, that's a given. His smile warms my heart. Through our life experiences, I have realized the need to educate the world around him. Young children do not know how to vocalize or even act when they see someone who is different than them. I don't know about you but I was brought up by parents that would say, "Don't stare!" Well, It's not polite to stare but it's okay to look. You don't have to cut your eyes away abruptly. Look, smile and say, "Hello." Simply put, the "meet & greet." If you look long enough at someone that is different than you, you might just find several features or attributes that you have in common. Little Levi may look different but he's just like you.

Many times I have been told what big eyes Levi has. He does, they are huge but aren't they beautiful? And just like many people that are "different" than you, he can see. One of my favorite sayings is, "Imagine the world through someone else's eyes." If you just smile, it makes any situation pleasant. Try it. I love sharing Levi with the world. I want Levi to leave a positive mark on the world like Sandy Allen did. Sandy was known as the tallest female in the world. She grew to be 7 feet 7 inches tall. She used her difference to teach school aged children about differences.

It's not just about one kind of difference, it's about ALL kinds of differences. At one of Levi's follow-up appointments with his craniofacial team. I had voiced a concern to one of the nurses. The nurse had a story for me. She had a little girl as a patient, she was around 10 years old. The child had a severely disfigured face. The little girls  parents had noticed the child had become quiet and withdrawn. The little girl was brought to a counselor to help her with what appeared to be depression. Come to find out, the little girl was being teased. The kids at school were calling her "four eyes." She wore glasses.

My mission is to teach others to look past differences. I do not think Levi & I can totally eradicate childhood teasing. We are going to make our mark on the world. I want everyone to know who Levi is. He is such a brave boy. I want his story to inspire others and give hope to those who need it. These children that we meet are going to grow up and some may even be faced with challenges like ours. I want all of them to know that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE . I want them to remember Levi & his family. And think, "They did it, I can too."

Many Smiles~ Dona Krystosek, RN