Arthur “Row” G - Family Connection of South Carolina

Arthur “Row” G, age 4

Photograph by Forrest Briggs (2022)

Happy, intelligent, determined, and brave: that’s Row! This loving little boy brings joy to those around him and shows others that he has no limits. He teaches other children empathy.

Row was diagnosed with an eye condition called Bilateral Persistent Fetal Vasculature (BPFV) at 2 months old. This started a journey to uncover a rare genetic disorder called KIF11 which caused multiple medical diagnoses. His biggest challenge currently is blindness. Without realizing it, he is changing the lives of everyone he meets by teaching them how to take the fact that he is blind out of the equation. Row shows them that he is more alike than different.

Row loves to swing, jump on the trampoline, listen to music, watch movies, go to school, and he loves wrestling with his two brothers. Row has taught his family to see the world differently.

Row has defeated the odds and mastered skills that sighted people take for granted. His fearlessness and desire to be as independent as possible inspires everyone around him. He is truly a typical kid who just experiences the world in a different way than his family and friends.

Feliz, inteligente, decidida y valiente: ¡así es Row! Este cariñoso niño alegra a los que le rodean y demuestra a los demás que no tiene límites. Enseña a otros niños la empatía.

A Row se le diagnosticó una afección ocular llamada Vasculatura Fetal Persistente Bilateral (VPFB) a los 2 meses de edad. Esto inició un viaje para descubrir un raro trastorno genético llamado KIF11 que causó múltiples diagnósticos médicos. Su mayor reto actualmente es la ceguera. Sin darse cuenta, está cambiando la vida de todas las personas con las que se encuentra al enseñarles a eliminar el hecho de ser ciego de la ecuación. Row les muestra que es más parecido que diferente.

A Row le encanta columpiarse, saltar en la cama elástica, escuchar música, ver películas, ir al colegio y le encanta luchar con sus dos hermanos. Row ha enseñado a su familia a ver el mundo de forma diferente.

Row ha vencido las probabilidades y ha dominado habilidades que las personas videntes dan por sentadas. Su intrepidez y su deseo de ser lo más independiente posible inspiran a todos los que le rodean. Es realmente un niño típico que simplemente experimenta el mundo de una manera diferente a la de su familia y amigos.

Family Connection of South Carolina provides services and resources to families who have a child with a disability or specialized healthcare need. Since 1990 we have served more than 100,000 families and today our services are needed more than ever. We focus on parent-to-parent support, guidance with navigating the complex healthcare system, and assistance with school meetings and special education plans.