Doctors told my parents: God wants me for himself

Noel Aquilina has made it his mission in life to discredit the dismal prediction made by a doctor soon after he and his twin sister were born 35 years ago. “I have spina bifida and my sister does not have a disability. My parents tell me that the doctor’s first reaction, when we were born, was to tell them: ‘Treasure the girl but forget about the boy since God wants him for himself’. “But I never gave up and my parents always encouraged me,” he grins with satisfaction as he sits at a piano at St James Cavalier’s music room in Valletta where he displays his musical skills. But Mr Aquilina is no sedentary musician. His lust for adventure is immediately evident as he starts talking about his passion for sports and the several marathons he has taken part in – included hand-cycling, paragliding and canoeing challenges. The young man has a packed life: he works as an accounts’ clerk with a private company, he is attending an evening course in Youth and Community Studies at the University and he trains regularly on his hand-bike – his favourite sport. Looking back he finds that he was lucky to have support from his family who always made him feel he could live a “normal childhood”. “I...