With these words, two-year-old Roman Dinkel entered the history of the internet. The little boy was born with a terrible disease that should have deprived him of the ability to move, but the opposite happened.
While still pregnant, an ultrasound revealed that the child had a severe vertebral slit. Further observation revealed that it was a myelomeningocele, the most severe form of the disease. From then until recently, Roman’s condition depended entirely on the efforts of doctors. He underwent his first surgery while still in his mother’s womb, then special therapy. Doctors did the essential, excluding the risk of paralysis and complete failure of the legs.
The method is simple: a pair of crutches is placed under the baby’s waist, then we try to waddle, to learn to control his body.
Whitney’s mother remembers that the most difficult thing for her was to step back, to refrain from rushing to help her son when he fell. He had to understand, to realize that a mother’s arms could not support him forever.
Maggie is his dog. And with her, little Roman shares his joy. He is aware of what he has accomplished and he is determined to build on that momentum. But everything remains to be done and today the baby has become a new symbol of perseverance and hope. Millions of views and replays of the original video on social networks, lots of comments.
