Walking through the halls, period by period, helping “an amazing guy” is what senior Cameron Meyers’ high school experience is like. Meyers works side by side with senior Dane Osbourne, who has a physical disability called cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a disability in human development, chiefly in the various areas of body movement.
“My ultimate goal in life is helping out the less fortunate,” Meyers said. “When I saw that Dane needed someone to help him out, I was all for it because it is one step closer towards my goal in life.”
The idea of having a person helping others is something Meyers describes as “more than it looks like.”
“Some people ask who I am,” Meyers said. “I don’t think they really know what I’m actually doing with him. A lot of people just see me as the guy that walks him to class and is kind of just checking up on him. I actually do more than that.”
Meyers not only works with Dane during school hours, but he also drives him home every day and spends time with him.
“I can spend up to three hours a day with him,” Meyer said. “I have Saturdays off, and Sundays are like a fun day where we go to the movies, mall and places like that, which is a lot of fun. When I get home with him, I stretch him so he is still mobile. We also do a couple of workouts so he can still be active, and if we have time I help him with his homework.”
With Meyers’ help, Osbourne has learned a lot of things.
“I love working with Cameron because he helps me do stuff that I couldn’t do by myself,” Osbourne said. “He gives me courage. I really appreciate his help. My life would be very different without him. He understands my situation, and I can trust him, which is really hard to find when dealing with an extra challenge than just regular life. I’ve been blessed to have him as a friend.”
Meyers and Osbourne have spent a lot of time working together. They have gone through a lot of things that have taught them how to be better in what they do.
“I’m amazed at how much he has progressed already from when I started working with him,” Meyers said. “Before, he would never have jeans on, he would never even pick them up. It sounds like a really simple thing to do, but for me, helping him with it and him actually wearing them every week is an important goal that we have both accomplished.”
Meyers is not the only one to be proud of being friends with Osbourne. Many students know him and think of him as a friendly person.
“Dane’s mom used to be my personal trainer, and that’s how I got to know about him,” junior Jacqueline Nguyen said. “When I met him at school, he greeted me with one of those warm smiles. I think he is one of the nicest and funniest guys to talk to. He is positive, and he is always smiling.”
Meyers’ idea of life has changed since he started working with Dane. He describes himself as a different and better person.
“Dane’s personality is something that you don’t see that much,” Meyers said. “He never gives up, he is very motivated. He has changed the way I look at other people, and I now put myself in their perspective. I feel like I’m supposed to be helping him, but at the same time he is helping me. He is always there for me.”
Getting to know people before judging them, is Meyers’ idea of being a great person. He has a new perspective towards life itself and believes everyone can, too, if they give themselves a chance to meet “an amazing guy” like Osbourne.
“If you ever see someone that has a disability, don’t talk down to them because they hate that,” Meyers said. “Also, put yourself in their shoes, say hi to them. They are the most kind people that you could think of. You won’t regret it. Think of them as your best friend.”
