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Talon’s World

by Samantha Rainey
Talon Spell, 10, and his fourth-grade classmates stop to use the restroom before returning to class. Talon is usually at the end of the line when the class moves between the cafeteria and the classroom.

Like many 10-year-olds, Talon Spell likes playing outside, riding bikes, and video games. He looks forward to coming home after school and hopping on his bike, pretending it’s a horse and capturing the Indians that are invading. With an imagination like Talon’s, one can transport to the pioneer days or even further back to the Jurassic era. His active imagination helps him escape his reality, which includes several health problems, the most obvious being obesity. Early use of steroids, because of childhood asthma, caused Talon’s weight to escalate. At 286 pounds, his weight makes him stand out amongst his fourth grade classmates. Talon struggles with being bullied at school.

Talon does not like gym class, squishy apples, or being bullied.

To help with his weight, his mother, Megan Garrido, walks with him up and down their street to get his heart rate up. Even though he is usually steps behind her, she encourages him to make it to the top of the hill on their way home. With the support of his family, Talon has made progress with his weight.

“He is so proud of the fact that he can ride his bike with his friends,” Garrido said. “He wants to be like the kids at school.”

For the first time, he can even start dressing like other kids.

“He has asked for a pair of jeans for three Christmases in a row,” Garrido said. She recently found him that pair of jeans.

Megan Garrido, Talon Spell's mother, tickles Talon to cheer him up after no one wanted to play "Jurassic Park" with him.
Talon Spell, 10, throws a fit because no one would play "Jurassic Park" with him. He is usually content playing alone because he has an active imagination. But Talon felt left out because everyone else was playing a game together.
Talon Spell, 10, has become a habitual eater because of steriods he had to take as an infant to combat his asthma. Talon goes to the refrigerator to look at the food, but he does not always walk away with something to eat.
Talon Spell, 10, spends time alone in his room watching Halloween shows on Cartoon Network. He likes Halloween because of "the scary shows that come on TV."
Talon Spell struggles to be a normal 10 year old because of his weight. "He is stared at everywhere we go," said Megan Garrido, Talon's mother. "He always takes a deep breath and asks, 'Mom, why do they have to be so mean?'"
After spending the afternoon at his grandparent's house, Talon Spell and his mother, Megan Garrido, walk home. Talon's mother has made it her responsibility to make sure that Talon exercises.
Talon jokes with his classmates at Creekside Elementary School during lunch. "He wants to be like the kids at school," said his mother, Megan Garrido.