Learn from a Guardian Angel, 600+ words of looking after your sister and how it transformed my life.

When my sister was born, in 2006, the DYRK1A syndrome had not yet been discovered so there was no way to diagnose her with anything. Her doctors looked at my sister puzzled at what was wrong with her, calling her condition the "Natalia Syndrome" as she was the first case her doctors had seen of this mystery disability at the time. My parents were worried and hoper for the best, but no matter her differences as a family, we embraced Natalia and never let her go.

All of her milestones were delayed and it took years for Natalia to develop basic abilities. "She walked at the age of 2 years old 9 months, and she currently has a broad, unsteady gait. Her speech is limited to a few words including colors and numbers. She developed slowly without regression"(Murray 21). This statement has pulled from an article Natalia's doctor wrote about her development to help spread awareness about her condition. People throw pitty towards me and my family wondering how we "deal with such a tragedy". Although the details are alarming to some and there are even more to be shared, it is truly my normal to be around Natalia to the extent where I don't see her disability, I just see her.

She is kind and caring. Natalia is the most positive human I have ever met. She smiles at everyone new she meets, is ready to give hugs at every hour of the day, and the only emotion she emits is pure love. When I was studying abroad for a couple months, she would call out my name at home wondering were I was. Anytime a friend came over to see my parents she would again call my name wondering why my friends were there and not me. You, see I have been by Natalia's side everyday since she was born. I've been there for every milestone, surgery, therapy session, seizure, and happy memory I was there to hold her hand.

I have never let the outside voices and opinions of others challenge the way I see Natalia or impact the lengths I will go to care for her. I am use to the points, the stares, the "aws"and questions for the public peanut gallery, and it has never bothered me. I cannot control what other people do or say about her, I can only control the way that I treat her. This is a lesson I have learned from Natalia, how we react is all we can control. When I was apply for colleges, my advisor told me that I wouldn't get into any schools that I applied to. From the resilience my sister has built me to have, I ignore her the fact that my advisor didn't believe in me and turned lemons into lemonade. I worked hard junior and senior year of high school, pushed myself harder than ever. Months later, I got into all thirteen schools I applied to with scholarships to half. This would have not been possible without Natalia by my side. She is more powerful than people known.

I don't see disability as more, I just see different people living their different realities. Disability is everywhere, as a society we need to open our eyes and see it to know that it is normal. Natalia is who showed me this. We need to look at people's difference as beauty as strength not as something to feel sorry about. Some of the most brilliant people in history presented with disability such as Steven Hawking and Albert Einstein. The more we look around and see peoples differences the less we see them at all. Natalia has taught me through her accomplishments that we are all powerful in our own ways. to not judge people for what they may not be capable of doing as you don't what they really can do. We all have some flaw some form of "disability" in our ways, it can by seen or invisible. From her, I meet everyone with the same kindness and respected no matter what they are capable on the outside because you never know what someone brings to the table.

The one thing I wish Natalia could know is that even though she sees me take care of her over the years, it is really her that has been taking care of me. The most valuable lessons I have learned in life have been by her side. I would not be leading life with purpose and empathy if it was not for her, she has made me who I am. I am truly not the guardian angel, she is.