Dubai: Humans of New York, the popular social media account, was in Abu Dhabi profiling some of the people of determination participating in the Special Olympics World Games. Known for its unique style of picture posts that help social media users discover the extraordinary stories behind ordinary-looking faces, the page is run by American photographer and blogger Brandon Stanton.
Over the past couple of weeks, Humans of New York social media feeds were filled with stories of determination from the World Games being held in Abu Dhabi.
The posts received thousands of shares and comments on Facbeook and Instagram, with many social media users coming forward to share their own stories of having a member of their family struggle because of lack of support or infrastructure for people of determination.
However, the stories shared were also those of unconditional love and warmth. One of the profiles, for example, was of a brother sharing the experiences of living with an older brother who was a person of determination.
“You’d never know he has special needs by looking at him. But what you can learn in one hour, it might take him three or four years. Even though I’m younger, he’s always looked up to me,” reads the post.
The profile went on to highlight how the two shared every aspect of their lives together.
Several Facebook users shared their own brothers’ stories of living as a person of determination. Facebook user Faisal Ali shared a picture with him, his brother and his wife, writing: “This is my brother, and I was in a similar situation. I was fortunate enough to have found a life partner that accepted him as one of her own, and now he has become ‘our brother’. I wish the same for this man.”
Similarly, posts which showed a person’s son, daughter or friend got comments from users who shared their own extraordinary experiences of dealing with the challenges and enjoying the special moments that come with having a loved one who struggles with a special condition.
