Learning when to respond and when to ignore attention became part of growing up.
His Family Helped Him See Beyond the Label
One of the most important influences in Kevin’s childhood was his family.
His parents consistently reminded him that his appearance did not determine his value.
Being tall or large did not automatically make someone better or worse than another person.Finding Writing Tools
What mattered was how a person behaved.
They expected Kevin to do the same things they expected of other children.
He had responsibilities.
He had to study.
He had to learn from his mistakes.
He had to treat other people respectfully.
He was
encouraged to develop interests that had nothing to do with his size.
That approach helped him understand an important distinction.Running Background Checks
There was a difference between being unusual and being defined by being unusual.
Kevin could acknowledge that his early story was remarkable without allowing it to become his entire identity.
Life Became More Ordinary
As childhood progressed, other parts of life began to matter more.
School brought homework, friendships, teachers, exams, and the everyday challenges experienced by young people everywhere.
Kevin made friends who knew him as a person rather than as the unusually large baby people had heard about.Planning Family Activities
Those friendships were important.
They showed him that people who genuinely knew him were interested in his sense of humor, personality, interests, and character.
His birth story might have been unusual, but his childhood still contained many
