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A few weeks ago Sebastian Filoramo shared a video on his Instagram account where he showed that adapted the World Cup sticker album to Braille in order to complete it. Lionel Messi fan, during the talk with Infobae He wears the Argentine national team's purple alternate jersey. His motivation is to achieve "true inclusion," and at 12 years old, he has achieved many things that some had considered impossible.
He was born with retinopathy of prematurity In Valera, Venezuela, he lost his vision due to eye disease as a baby. His family consists of his parents, Leonardo Filorama and María Andreina Camarinha, and his two younger siblings. They've lived in Barquisimeto for four years, and through a video call with this medium, he shares how he's coping with the social media hype. The idea of modifying the Panini album so that blind children can also enjoy the passion for football.
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“My little brothers bought it and I wanted it too. My dad, who has a super mind, told me: 'Let's adapt it', and he did his part to think about how to achieve it, and I did mine with Braille when writing it on the typewriter Perkins"," says Sebastián. He explains how they did it: "He helped me put silicone on the edges of the box where I was going to glue each figurine, so I could stick them straight. Then we cut out some contact paper to write the number on it as a reference, the same one we marked on the figurine, and that way I know where each one goes."
He acknowledges that it involves effort and takes quite a bit of time to do the same process on all the pages of the album, and to advance with the 670 stamps, corresponding to the 32 national teams along with those of the stadiums, trophy, mascot and official ball of Qatar 2022But those who know Sebas –who is affectionately nicknamed “The daddy of the chicks”– they know that he has no limits. “If someone could do it, I can do it too, and if no one could, then I'll be the first.”, he says as a motto, and assures that he is now missing less than half of the figures.
Courage, tenacity, and patience drive him to pursue his dreams. So he ventured into the sport he loves most, cycling, and at the same time played football. Goalball - the only sport created specifically for people who are blind or have low vision - to basketball, and recently tried soccer. "I'm enjoying learning because my cameraman knows a lot and is teaching me how to kick; I'm also going to sign up for swimming," he says enthusiastically. Also on his list of extraordinary experiences is the day he discovered what it feels like to fly, thanks to the wind tunnel installed in a Caracas shopping center.
Another exciting moment was when his father brought him a “touch court”, It has relief and is used so that while a sports play is taking place, it can be followed through certain reliefs on the board and know where the footballer is before scoring a goal or passing it to a teammate. “Who said blind people can’t feel football?”, questions, and celebrates that his family never gives up.
“The Argentine fans were the ones who made my video go viral., and I think that's where I have the most followers. That's why I'm also wearing this shirt, because I'm very grateful to them," he says with a smile. Regarding the opening match for the national team, where they lost 2-1 to Saudi Arabia, Sebastián admits he was very surprised by the defeat, but he quickly returns to the optimism that defines him. "They still have a chance; they have to win two games, and they're more than capable of doing it," he says. With much affection, he dedicates a message to Messi: "I hope you watch this interview, because I admire you so much and I already got your sticker in the album."You're already the best, whether you win or not, but I'd like you to stay in the World Cup."
The 100km bike challenge
At the age of 6, he started riding a bike using a system that they gradually perfected: at first, they placed disposable cups on the wheel of the bicycle in front of him to guide him.I followed the sound they made and my parents were telling me whether I had to turn right or left as we moved forward. But now some friends have made a horn that makes a sound to do the same thing, and the cups are no longer necessary,” he explains.
“I have already participated in several cycling activities, but my dream is to travel through the 24 states of Venezuela until I reach 100 kilometers, to to be the first blind person to achieve it", he reveals. And he adds: "The idea is to break a record Guinness, because I could do 10 kilometers and I would be the first blind person to do it, I think it would be very easy to overcome, and I I want to make history”.
He also hopped on a skateboard and an electric scooter. Everything labeled as "impossible" ceases to be so once he tries. No matter the outcome, he persists and congratulates himself for giving his all to every goal. His passions merge with his excellent performance in school. Despite having a busy schedule these days, dividing his time between classes, homework, sports, and social media content, he tries to maintain a balance. "I get 20 in almost everything—which in our country would be the equivalent of a ten, the highest grade—and I love math," he explains.
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Writes Braille on his machine Perkins, also uses a ruler and the arithmetic box for his favorite subject. “Same There is a lack of things that make life easier for a person with a visual impairment."Because new versions are unavailable and most things are imported," he emphasizes. Once again, he maintains that the support provided by his mother, in organizing his day-to-day life, and by his father, who is a car salesman and runs a construction company, is crucial.
Sebastián has the soul of an artist, and has been singing for as long as he can remember. “I really like vallenatos, and I'm learning to play the guitar, which isn't easy, but if you like it, you'll get it with practice,” he says. It's not the only instrument he's played: the cuatro, the charrasca, the accordion, the drum, and the piano. He considers himself an apprentice in all of them, but there's always room to dream: “You have to think big, so I'd like to… have my songs and be a singer”.
He confesses that, in addition to continuing to learn to launch himself as an artist, he plans to study programming when he goes to college. “I want to be a developer of software to help blind people and move towards true inclusion. Learn how to develop software like Windows, which is an operating system, or NVDA (Non Visual Desktop Access), which is a screen reader and speaker that reads computer screens to you; and develop programs like that.”
"To read Instagram comments, for example, we can use Voiceover for iPhone and Talkback for Android, which is almost the same but has some differences," he explains. He also mentions, among his upcoming projects, the possibility of traveling to more places in Venezuela when the holidays begin and showing them to his followers.
As he demonstrated throughout the conversation, he defines himself as “friendly, respectful, and kind,” and he believes this is one of the reasons he hasn't been bullied. “I always chat with everyone wherever I go, and if the teacher asks to borrow a phone, I lend it because I like to be helpful; I haven't suffered discrimination at school,” he says. And between laughs, he jokes: “If they bully me, I hit them with my cane.”
When it comes to sharing her message, she is very clear about what she wants to convey as an influencer. With more than 280,000 followers, followers on Instagram, and 13,000 on Tik Tok, their videos aim at personal motivation.Disability doesn't define you; it defines how you deal with the challenges that disability presents.", he states. He lists as outstanding debts for inclusion in many countries In the food sector: “There should be Braille menus in restaurants so blind people can choose their food; a ramp for people with disabilities so wheelchairs or canes can access the restaurant; and a sign language interpreter so deaf people can order what they want to eat.”
His recommendation is that no one should limit themselves and that they should trust that they can achieve great things if they set their minds to it. “If you take the 'dis' out of disability, we have extraordinary abilities, and if there's nothing in Braille, invent it, think of a solution,” he advises. “The good thing is that when you do something like this, it's not just for you, but for many other people who benefit from what you created,” he concludes.
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