He dreams of becoming a marine scientist but needs special tutoring to help him read
Adrian Gutierrez-Elbers rubbed his eyes and looked up from the ground, his face lighting up when the topic of conversation turns to one of his favorite hobbies.
“I saw a barracuda,” said the 16-year-old, cheerfully recounting a recent snorkeling trip with his dad. Underwater creatures fascinate him, and he hopes to be a marine biologist one day. Sitting in Barnes & Noble in Pembroke Pines, he talked about what you might see if you journeyed to the ocean floor.
“Probably a ghost fish,” he said, referring to eel-like creatures with transparent skin that have rarely been observed alive. “I have to do some research on that.”
For Gutierrez-Elbers, a freshman at Charles W. Flanagan High School, research largely consists of watching videos online. It’s easier for him because reading is a challenge. He has dyslexia, making reading, school and even the research he would love to do on his own time more stressful. His frustration can be hard for him to describe because he is on the autism spectrum, with speech and language delay.
“But he does his best,” said his father, Danilo Gutierrez, looking at his son with a smile. He constantly encourages his boy and advocates for his inclusion in athletics and other school activities.
A supportive English teacher at school encourages him to discuss movies, a form of storytelling that he can comprehend more easily. Illustrated books like the “Captain Underpants” series have been his favorite, but he wishes he could keep advancing his reading level.
“From the standpoint of starting high school, it’s really critical that he gets good tutoring so he can excel,” said Jeannie DeMarzo, of The Danielle DeMarzo Foundation, a nonprofit that provides resources and activities for children with special needs. The foundation has hosted events the Gutierrez family has attended.
Inspired by the family’s spirit, Jeannie DeMarzo nominated Adrian for the Miami Herald Wish Book this holiday season. She said she admires the dedication that Adrian, his parents and two siblings have toward advocating for children with special needs.
Danilo Gutierrez is a baseball coach for special needs kids. Adrian’s mother is a behavioral specialist who works with families every day. Adrian participates in activities sponsored by Best Buddies, including hyping up the crowd and showing off art that was auctioned at a recent fundraiser.
The kind of specialized tutoring that could help Adrian improve his reading comprehension is too expensive for his family’s budget. He gets stuck on difficult words, making school frustrating and exhausting. The effort tires him out so much he sometimes needs to nap as soon as he comes home from school, and sometimes he needs “cool off” periods. Still, he pushes himself.
“Our goal is for him to read fluently, independently with comprehension with, you know, enough comprehension for him to to understand what he’s reading,” said his father, who works as a substitute teacher.
The challenges in the classroom don’t hamper Adrian’s drive to pursue extracurricular activities that keep him social. He volunteers in Key Club, moves his feet in a Latin dance club and plays Minecraft in a gaming club. He recently went on his first date to a Florida Panthers game with one of his crushes at school.
Adrian and his father have a strong bond, making each other laugh often with inside jokes and fondly remembering family trips to the beach.
“He’s just a wonderful young man,” DeMarzo said. “He’s very friendly and outgoing.”
He also wishes he could get a SCUBA certification with his dad so they could dive together to explore the world underwater. While his father would be a little anxious before doing it, Adrian is more gung-ho.
“Anything I can try,” he said.
How to help
To help this Wish Book nominee and the more than 100 other nominees who are in need this year:
▪ To donate, use the coupon found in the newspaper or pay securely online through www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
▪ For more information, call 305-376-2906 or email Wishbook@MiamiHerald.com
▪ The most requested items are often laptops and tablets for school, furniture, and accessible vans
▪ Read all Wish Book stories on www.MiamiHerald.com/wishbook
This story was originally published December 17, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
