A 9-year-old Michigan boy with cerebral palsy turned into an Internet sensation this week after his mother posted a video of him trying to stand up for the National Anthem, while he watched a sports game on TV from his living room.
FOX News reports that Rebecca Wilson was so proud of her son trying to stand up while placing a hand over his heart during the National Anthem (that played on television), that she posted the video recorded of him on her Facebook page. The heartwarming incident touched so many people that the video quickly went viral, attracting over 30,000 views within the first days.
“He always takes off his hat, but until yesterday I never really saw him try to stand,” Wilson said.
Logan, Wilson’s son, was diagnosed with spastic quad cerebral palsy (also known as spastic quadriplegia) when he was just six months old. He can speak only short sentences and he’s unable to walk, but Wilson said he’s an extremely affectionate boy who understands other people’s emotions. He’s also an avid sports fan. According to Wilson, Logan understands the respect involved with the National Anthem, and he wanted to pay his respects to his country.
“He just knew that is what we do to show respect to our country and everyone who fights so hard for us. He is truly just an amazing kid just doing what he loves.”
Wilson admitted that the title of her video, “Even my 9 year old with CP knows you’re supposed to stand up during the national anthem…He loves it!” was a slight jab at the controversy going on with athletes failing to stand up before game time. She doesn’t agree with it, and she feels it’s disrespectful, but she also understands that everyone is granted the right to their own views and opinions.
In my opinion, I believe they are not only disrespecting their own country, a country that affords them the right to do what they did, but also disrespecting all the people who fight for this country. I do not disagree with their reasons for doing what they did, I disagree with the actions they took.”
Logan was watching a DVR recording of a Detroit Lions game when Wilson noticed him rewinding the game back to the National Anthem several times. As soon as he got home from school, he went straight to the television to watch the game, and immediately started putting his hand over his heart. Each time he would rewind the game, he attempted to stand up. It’s something his mother had never seen him do before, so she decided to capture it on video.
“He walks with the assistance of a walker that he gets strapped into but it’s very supportive of him. I haven’t really seen him try to stand from that sitting position on his own like that.”
What is Spastic Quad Cerebral Palsy?
The type of cerebral palsy that Logan has is a relatively rare form of the disorder, affecting around 22.4% of all people diagnosed with cerebral palsy. It’s typically diagnosed during infancy, when doctors notice that the baby isn’t developing normally. It’s caused by congenital malformations in the brain or by brain damage. It’s sometimes caused by fetal stroke while the infant is still in utero, which can result from blood clots in the placenta or malformed blood vessels in the brain.
Symptoms of spastic quad cerebral palsy include:
- Speech that’s profoundly affected
- Abnormal motor skills development
- Joint contractures
- Inability to walk unassisted
- Seizures (though common, it doesn’t affect all babies with spastic quad CP)
- Stiff limbs, but “floppy” neck
- In some instances, cognitive problems may exist, ranging from mild to severe
Watch Logan below as he shows his pride and tries to stand for the National Anthem!
