Luis Collazo, a 10-year-old boy from North Texas, is far more empathetic and sensitive than one can expect from a boy of his age. Unlike other kids, Luis has had a rather difficult childhood due to his severe illness. But the little boy isn’t one to be bogged down by difficulties. He emerged stronger in the face of illness and social isolation by his peers, and today, he’s a published author of a book that gives out a strong message to everyone.
Taking inspiration from his fight against cancer and the bullying that he went through at school, the little boy authored a book which tells a story that everyone is special in their own way.
Luis was just a little baby when he was diagnosed with eye cancer. This led to him wearing a prosthetic eye for most part of his life. But it wasn’t easy to deal with bullies in his class who called him an alien because of the prosthetic eye. This made Luis a shy guy, and he found solace in writing. He wrote a book titled ‘Todd the Odd Boy’, which gives a strong message to rise above the prejudice and accept people the way they are.
“I got sick over retinoblastoma, but that’s something that’s just really special about me. Even if you’re unusual, everybody is special, no matter how you are”, he said in an interview.
Although Luis is now free from any sign of the disease, he still undergoes regular checkups as a precautionary measure and for long-term recovery. The characters in his book are also inspired from the struggles and challenges that he faced and inspire people to embrace the uniqueness in everyone.