Ionut

Hi! My name is Ionut (Yo-nootz), but some people call me Dennis the Menace. 😉

My name is Romanian for Johnny.

I was born with no feet and only one hand. Before my American mom knew me, she had a dream about me. In her dream, she heard a baby crying and went to the crib to find him wrapped up in a blanket. His feet, though they were in his booties, were not attached to him. This was God’s way of telling her that I needed a Mommy and Daddy. They brought me home from Romania when I was not quite 4-years-old.

America is so exciting! I’ve been to so many places already! The first thing I did was run all over my house exploring. That’s right – I can run on my knees and climb not only stairs but also tall kitchen appliances. with only five fingers, I can feed myself, dress myself and play with anything I want to. I can’t write my name yet, but I can type it. Hey – remember I’m only four years old and there are lots more fun things for a guy to do – like play my guitar, harmonica, musica and ride my Big Wheel. Did I mention I like music?

After I was in Wisconsin for about six months, my parents took me to Chicago where I got my “Shriners Feet”. I was a little nervous at first because they made me a foot taller, but now I love ’em and can put them on all by myself. It’s cool to be taller so I can reach the sink, the lights and other stuff, but Mom and Dad say I can’t ride a motorcycle till I’m 45.

I have two mottos. One is “I can do anything I want to!” and the other is “We fall down, we get up!” So reach for the stars and always follow your dreams.