PARMA, Ohio — Tyler Paul is a Parma man with a big heart and tall spirit when it comes to helping others and spreading crucial awareness and education about dwarfism.
For nearly a decade, Paul has made dozens of appearances at N.E. Ohio charitable events, embracing his role in being one of the some 65,000 little people here in the United States.
“I have a form of Achondroplasia Dwarfism, which is the most common form of dwarfism," Paul said. “I accept who I am. There are days that I wish that I was average size like family and friends of mine, but I know that God made me for who I am.”
October is National Dwarfism Awareness Month, and Paul has used this month as a backdrop to educate the public, urging parents to educate their children.
“I function just like every else would. Yes, there are different ways to drive a car. You have to use different pedals and the seat, Paul said. “We need to teach our children more about dwarfism because I really don’t get stared at by adults, but I’ve been stared at by kids, but I just let it go, I go with the flow.”
Paul told News 5 he's been an entertainer at dozens of N.E. Ohio charitable events over the past decade, helping to raise crucial funding for a wide variety of causes and, at the same time, spread dwarfism awareness.
“I try to embrace who I am and show the public and myself that you have to have fun with your disability or who you are all the time," Paul said. “It shows that if I have a disadvantage or something, I can help someone out, someone who has a much bigger disadvantage.”
National dwarfism group Little People of America and its Advocacy Director Samantha Rayburn-Trubyk told News 5 that dwarfism awareness in the U.S. is growing, but there is still a ways to go when it comes to accessibility, attitudinal changes and usage of derogatory labels.
“The word that is still the worst for us would be midget; we call it the “M” word or the “M” slur and it really stems back to the freak show era where it was really made popular by P.T. Barnum," Rayburn-Trubyk said. "Other unacceptable behaviors would be picking somebody up without permission, or patting somebody on the head, you know, pointing and laughing and mocking”
Rayburn-Trubyk pointed to the wide variety of resources available on the Little People of America web page, including parent and peer education, medical support and scholarships and grants.
“So many of us have pride in who we are and wouldn’t change a thing," Rayburn-Trubyk said. "We are so happy to be born into this community, like myself.”
Meanwhile, Tyler Paul continues his charity work at theAngel's Haven Horse Rescue in Grafton, Ohio, on Dec. 3. The event is dedicated to raising awareness about saving horses from all forms of cruelty and features appearances by Paul and Santa Claus.
“I love having fun and being in the public and making every day count," Paul said.
