Christian Holmes

As you can probably see, my name is Christian. I’m from Canada. I’m 23 years young. I was born in 1999 when “No Scrubs” wasn’t a meme but instead a chart topper.

 

When I was born, much like y’all, the doctors were at a loss for what my disability was. The guy in the ER was talking like I wouldn’t be able to walk, talk, etc. Wasn’t looking too good. Luckily, my then to be paediatrician, Dr. Michael Promnitz diagnosed me properly. 

 

He, along with my mother, created a plan to help me grow up relatively healthy. It included a lot of physiotherapy, because my body was all “tangled up” as a newborn. After a year or two, my mom got me to the point where I could sit up. Not too long after, I started to walk and the rest was history. My mom also put a lot of work into finding a way to bottle feed me as a baby because she didn’t want no hick doctors putting a tube in my stomach. She found a way and that kept me away from that.

 

My younger years were a bit of a battle. Speech therapy wasn’t the funnest, but it sure worked out. I was also in and out of the hospital with pneumonia. My immune system was weak. Add in all the surgeries I had to get for my eyes and such, it was like fighting a two front war (something that never ends up well). That said, as I started to get older, things calmed down considerably and my health got under control. 

 

When I was like 8 or 9, I got my first BAHA surgery (it’s a hearing implant that operates by vibrating sound through my skull), which was another trial, but a worthwhile because my quality of hearing instantly improved.

 

Throughout all that, I made good friends with all the kids at my school. I learned how to ride a bike and played tee ball. I also spent a lot of time at the racetrack, getting what would be a lifelong education in handicapping the horses. I developed a love for hockey and tough guys like Tie Domi. I was even lucky enough to meet Domi through Make-A-Wish when he was playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

 

I admired guys like Domi because they always fought for what they believed to be right. Nothing could deter them. And I decided from a young age that’s how I wanted to be. And it’s very much whom I’ve become. 

 

If you know me today, you’d know that I’m a realist that loves life and making money. I’m an avid reader and explorer of the consciousnesses. I’m always trying new things and meeting new people. Recently, I went to Humber College in Toronto for my Bachelor of Journalism. Graduated last year with honours. My beat is sports betting (and I also cover horse racing on a freelance basis). I run a small sports betting consulting business (it’s not a hustle, it’s legit😂). Fun fact: My work was published in TSN hockey insiders Bob McKenzie’s book “Everyday Hockey Heroes: On and Off The Ice,” so there’s that too! 

 

Now, to be honest, I don’t talk much about my disability. Not because I’m embarrassed or anything like that. It’s more so because I’ve always been treated as normal. I’ve always been one of the boys. Life of the party. Never really dealt with bullying. Of course, I’ve dealt with occasional stares from people but it’s nothing I couldn’t shrug off one way or another like sober people shrug off drunks at the bar. 

 

I’ve never really thought of myself as inspirational and therein, I never really shared my story that much. I’ve had people tell me I’m inspirational but just shrugged it off. Not to be rude, but more so just to hide away from the fact that I’m built a bit different. I realize now, love it or hate it, I was being a bit selfish for not being more forthcoming/involved in communities such as these. That’s why I decided to share my story and join this ever growing community.

 

One thing I will say is that no matter what anyone tells you, Moebius is just a disability. It doesn’t have to define you. Yes, externally, in the world we live in, people may want to label us in a certain manner. That’s just life though. The quicker you can get past it and focus on the good things in your life, the better. Yes, you may have some romantic troubles because of the stigmas surrounding people with disabilities. Yes, the job recruiter(s) might give you a hard time because of the way you look. But honestly, who cares? It makes romantic and career triumphs that much more meaningful. It makes you appreciate the people who stuck with you through the good and bad that much more.

 

Not everything in this life is going to be perfect. We all have our battles to fight, but if you’re willing to dig deep into the trenches and mount offensives when the times call for them, you’ll be fine. Like, honestly, read through some of the people’s stories in here from when all this started up and see where they are now. That’s all you need to know.

 

I think this goes without saying, but I’m more than happy to talk to anyone who might be struggling or just wants to chat. Feel free to add me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter @HolmesyWrites, or hit me up on the ‘Gram @yourboyholmesy.