Hi, my name is Dylan Thompson and I’m 25 years old. I used to be a student at Five Towns College. I was pursuing a degree in Mass Communications. I decided to quit school and focus more on my art business. My ultimate dream is to be a football coach either in the NFL, college or high school. I'm excited about pursuing my many dreams. While I was a student at Harborfields High school in 2012, I became interested and intrigued with creating digital art using a computer program called Photoshop. For the past  years, I have been selling greeting cards of my own designs. Most of my designs are from one flower I drew by hand and later edited using Photoshop, both on this website as well as at numerous craft shows across Long Island.

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When I was five years old, I was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. My parents couldn’t understand why I kept falling down and complaining that my legs cramped and my hips hurt.  I couldn’t play sports like other kids my age because I was always getting tired. After blood tests and a biopsy the doctors told us that I had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. I stopped walking when I was in 5th grade as my muscles continued to deteriorate. Today, I cannot lift my arms above my shoulders. But that does not stop me pursing in my art buisness. I have very little use of basically every muscle in my body except for my hands.                                        

 

I have always enjoyed art. My mom always had my sister and I doing all sort of art projects at home. Her love of art and arts and crafts took over our house sometimes. In school, art was fun but as I got older and my muscles became weaker, it was harder to achieve what I wanted to do with a paint brush or a pencil. Even molding clay became impossible. I did less and less in first few years of high school. It was frustrating. My mom was always coming up with projects that would help me with keeping up my movement in my arms and hands. My final year in high school it became difficult to complete my requirements in art credits in order to graduate. My teacher suggested I work with Photoshop. Since I was able to still use my hands and fingers, I worked with the mouse to earn my art credit. So as part of one of my assignments to complete the required art course, I had to draw a flower by hand with a pencil, even though it was very difficult for me accomplish but I did it. Then I scanned that drawing into Photoshop where I could do all of the things I couldn't with a paint brush or pencil and more.



In addition to art, I have always loved sports of all kinds. Especially football. I was a member of Harborfields High School’s varsity boys basketball team as a manager for four years. Growing up, I dreamed of playing sports professionally. My childhood sports hero was Wayne Chrebet, the wide receiver on the New York Jets. Wayne was a walk-on player, considered too small by many to play in the NFL. Wayne proved them all wrong when he became a stand-out running back with impressive statistics. He proved the doubters wrong, and I loved the positive attitude Wayne always displayed.  That is my attitude towards Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. With every challenge there's a way out, and one can overcome any obstacle if they exhibit strength within. ​

 

 

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Thank you for visiting my website!