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The Boy Who Saved the City

The Boy Who Saved the City

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Super Me – Tyriee’s super hero alter ego!

Tyriee - The Boy Who Saved the City

Tyriee spends his days running, jumping, and playing all over New York City, perfectly acceptable pastimes for The Boy Who Saved the City. His superfast lightning speed allows our hero to zoom from place to place in the blink of an eye, fighting crime and keeping our city safe.

But all super heroes have a weakness, and for Tyriee it may seem to be the clubfoot he was born with or the fact that a congenital condition has affected the growth of his left leg. For years, Super Me struggled with the uncertainty of whether or not he’d have to continue his crime fighting with only one foot, as various doctors gave different opinions about the strength of his clubfoot and how it would affect our hero’s lightning fast speed.

Tyriee - Super Hero

But good always prevails.

Despite five surgeries and having to wear over 20 casts and braces to help with both conditions as he grows, there is no stopping Super Me! Tyriee channels the energy of all the challenges thrown his way into his lightning bolt, which he uses to propel himself forward, strike out evil villains, and soar high into the clouds.

Tyriee has spent a lot of time in hospitals in his short 7 years, where his inner strength and heroic nature have been built up by visits from enCourage Kids entertainers like Looney Lenny. His time out of the hospital at enCourage Kids Escapes have helped our hero build up his outer strength, where he has met other superhero friends and sidekicks. Whether he’s attending a Knicks game, running around at Splish Splash, or celebrating at one of our holiday parties, he always arrives at full speed and never stops.

Tyriee - Spring Festival

It’s all fun and games for Kelly and Tyriee at our Spring Festival.

Family time at our holiday party

Family time at our holiday party

“He’s definitely one of the most active kids in our program,” shares Kelly Jirka, enCourage Kids Program Manager. “When I first met Tyriee a few years ago it was shocking to learn that his diagnosis is mobility related. For a child who has been told he may need his foot amputated, he has never let it affect him. He thrives on being active and playful at all of our events and engages friends and strangers alike in games of tag and hide-and-go-seek. He never stops moving – always determined to win.”

And win he does! Even when his strength is tested, he proves to beat the odds every time. After his last surgery, doctors expected him to be wheelchair-bound for weeks as he recovered, but he was jumping by leaps and bounds in just three days.

Super Me’s story proves that not every super hero is defeated by their kryptonite. Tyriee has turned his biggest weakness into his biggest strength – making him the perfect hero to save his beloved city. Up, up and away, Super Me!


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