by Ricky Tsang
about the author:
Ricky Tsang was a pillar in our Duchenne community for years. From his website DearRicky.com, to his Facebook group We Are Dystrophin, to his first book, Ridiculous: The Mindful Nonsense of Ricky’s Brain, Ricky’s priority was helping and advocating for our community – well, that and romancing women.
Shortly before passing away in 2016, Ricky shared the manuscript for his second book with me. It was never published and we would like to share it now with our DMD community.
Prologue
from
“Inspirational: My Big Mechanical Derriere”
by Ricky Tsang
As I open my eyes with the sunlight upon my face, the initial blur is immediately fractured by the morning radiance. I can almost touch the honey-glazed staircase from metres away but, reaching for the warmth, I realized once again that some things are impossible. I wonder if I might be able to endure this any longer, if it’s all a bad dream, only to find a distant memory still lingering within my lonely mind…
Suddenly, I find myself on a late summer afternoon in a school playground with no one in sight. Fallen upon the pavement, there’s nothing but silence and a basketball post in front of me. I have to return to my feet, somehow.
Placing my tiny hands on the searing hot metal, I’m trying hard to get a grip with every ounce of strength I can conjure. I continue in desperation with no success, wanting to let the tears fall. It is then that I hear her voice.
“Ricky,” she whispers. “Everything is going to be okay.”
Her words saved me that day, a constant reminder that I will endure. I never cried once.