About Me

Faith, family and friends – these three sum up all that is most important to me. Central to my life is my faith in Jesus and knowing that this life is not the end, spending time with others as we journey through the Christian life together is one of the highlights of my week. Enveloped in the love of my family, home is my sanctuary and my joy with my two younger sisters and our dog. At 17 years old my friends and I like very similar things – playing pool, aeroplanes, music and baking.  Sharing banter in the corridor at school is also a favourite pastime.

But if you met me in the street, you wouldn’t know any of these things, instead you would notice a small boy in a wheelchair, unable to speak.

Until I was nine years old I would not have been able to write this. But using my eyes like a finger pointing, or a pencil, my mother taught me to read and write. A year and a half after I was first taken out of my special school to be taught, I started to use my eyes to spell out everything I wanted to say and write on an alphabet board known as an E-Tran frame. My eyes became my voice.

Since that day in February 2015 life has been busy, life has been transformed and crucially, life has been fulfilled.

You can read what I’ve been up to since then on my blog posts

You can read more about my story in my book Eye Can Write available here

You can find more information about my charity, Teach Us Too, here

You can see the CBBC My Life programme, Locked In Boy, here

I hope you enjoy reading my words as much as I have enjoyed writing them,

Jonathan

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36 thoughts on “About Me”

  1. Hiya Jonathan. Thanks for starting your blog. We know it takes ages for you to write each entry but we are so glad to hear your news. I love that so much of what you really needed to say once you were first able to was how much you love and appreciate your family. And your personal experience of Jesus’ peaceful garden; we look forward to enjoying it with you too one day.
    Love to you and all the family
    Phil and Rhoda 🙂

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      • Hiya Jonathan, I’m 46 and I still can’t spell so you are doing better than me! Usually I just write in a really scruffy way so people can’t see my mistakes – but we can’t get away with that on computers can we. Phil and I are having a lovely holiday in Cornwall with Pip the dog – who has got very tired barking at all the pebbles on the beach. Lots of love Phil and Rhoda. 🙂

        >

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  2. HI Jonathan,
    I am very impressed with your Blog, it’s great!! I showed my Mum your poem last night. She was very impressed and moved by it. As a teacher, she understands all the issues around developing literacy and thought your language was amazingly good for a 10 year old.
    See you soon!
    Gillian

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  4. Hi Jonathan,

    I was so happy to read about you in The Mail on Sunday (online). Thank God for your mother!
    I loved your story about being in Jesus’ garden.
    May God bless you and your family.

    Angela,
    Gibraltar.

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  5. Dear Jonathan, I have just come across your story and decided to check out your blog. You are such an inspiration! 🙂 It was an honor for me to be able to read about you. Blessings and greetings to you from Hungary. 🙂

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  6. You seem like such a lovely boy. I loved your story about Jesus’ Garden – you described it so beautifully I felt like I was running on the grass beside you. Keep writing as it is clear you have a special gift.

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  8. Hi Jonathan!
    It was really amazing to learn about your story on FM 89.4 that you can talk through eyes.I earnestly extend all my good wishes for you and your parents.Hats off to your courage.
    With lots of love.
    Saqib Hamdani
    Islamabad,Pakistan

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  12. Hi Jonathan,
    I saw an article about you in the newspaper and then visited your blog to read your writing. I feel very strongly about the inclusion of all children in education and found your story really inspirational. I’m a teacher and we used Michael Morpurgo’s “Coming Home” just before Christmas. Your poem based on it was so good it gave me goosebumps! You are a truly talented writer and I will keep visiting your blog. Thank you for sharing your writing, your story and for the work you are doing.
    Kelly x

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  13. Dear Jonathan,

    via Facebook i read an article about you just now and consequently was very interested to visit your blog. I have just read some of your writings and am really touched and amazed by you as a person and the beauty in your language and depth in your faith. You are such a beautiful testimony for some very essential truths in the christian faith, that i am quite awed and thankful to have been led to your blog! I find it humbling to read such trusting and immensely positive writings about your relationship with Christ and your life and parallel obviously having tremendous challenges each day and certainly knowing (more than most people) what real suffering is all about. THANKYOU for sharing your life and especially your faith with the world. God certainly has amazing ways and i find it immensely touching and encouraging to see through your testimony, how Jesus can indeed be all we need if we cling to Him. Beautiful! Jesus light is certainly radiating through you! May God bless you and your family richly!

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  15. I like this post, enjoyed this one thank you for putting up. “To the dull mind all nature is leaden. To the illumined mind the whole world sparkles with li.htg” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

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  17. Jonathan, what an amazing young man you are. I am mum to an18yr old son who has several disabilities and genetic disorders, he can fully communicate yet is physically restricted due to severe arthritis, also he is extremely small (looks 8-9yrs old) and uses a wheelchair. God had definitely bless you and anointed you for great work on this earth. I pray his continued blessing upon you and your family and look forward to more updates xx
    Trudi x

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  19. Hi Jonathon I have just read your book in one night-it was hard to put down! It was challenging and inspirational to me as a Christian and a teacher. Your family are all pretty special too by the sounds of it. Bless you all! Sue

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  20. My 10 year old daughter , Carla, was taken to see War Horse today – a lovely gift from her best friend Louis. They were thrilled to meet Michael Morpurgo who took the time to chat with them and he also introduced them to you! She has not stopped telling me what a wonderful , clever boy you are and the minute she got home she googled you so she could find out more about how you learnt to write – amazing ! We have ordered your book, one each for Carla and Louis , she cannot wait to read it. You have truly inspired her and she now wants to create a power point presentation about you to share with her classmates . I’m so glad she met Michael and you and your mum today – what a special day.

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    • This has made my day, thank you so much for sharing, War Horse was incredibly moving. I enjoyed meeting Carla and Louis in the interval and was only sorry we didn’t have more of a chat.

      Love,
      Jonathan

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      • Dear Jonathan
        This is Carla , my mum showed me your message and I’m so thrilled you replied ! I loved War Horse too- my favourite character was the crazy goose!
        I can’t wait to read your book , it’s arriving tomorrow . Your spelling board is so amazing , it’s really clever how it works and I’m so glad you can write , I like writing too. My best friend Louis is getting your book as well , he is really excited ! We really enjoyed meeting you and hope I can meet you again one day . Every year we have a vote for the charity our school will raise money for , I think this happens in March and I would like to suggest your charity. I hope I’m successful. Do you ever visit schools to do assemblies ? I would love for my class mates to meet you !!!

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  21. Dear Carla,
    I enjoyed meeting you and your friend Louis too, thank you for getting in contact. I haven’t been to any assemblies, but if you are not too far from Wiltshire I could see about a visit.
    Happy Easter.
    Love,
    Jonathan

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  24. Hi Jonathan,
    I just watched a short film about you and your life.
    Thank you for sharing the story of your life. You impressed me with your determination to campaign for children like you, and your passion for literature. I was confused by the board you use to speak at the start of the film but by the end I thought, “Wow, this is awesome!!”
    I am so glad you have your voice to communicate with your family and friends. Also I am so glad you got to meet so many people who are important to you especially your favourite author!
    I send you my best wishes all the way from Australia.
    You will be in my thoughts and prayers. You are doing God’s work.
    Best regards also to your wonderful and supportive family and friends.

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