By: C. Michelle Bryant – an interview with 10-year old Evelyn
Focus on Fabulous magazine has had the honor and privilege to interview some amazing individuals for the specialized focus piece that appears in every issue of the publication under the title “Passionately Driven.” This feature spotlights an incredible female who is transforming her community and her world through deed, action or simply by being the unique and special person she is. It seems only fitting that as summer approaches and Focus on Fabulous magazine produces its final issue for its
first year in publication that we spotlight someone like no one else who has preceded
them.
Although she has followed in some incredible footsteps, this young lady impressed us before we even met her. Her name is Evelyn or “Evie,” as her friends call her. She is 10 years old, loves tennis, is quite the tomboy and is passionately driven to tell anyone she comes in contact with that she has epilepsy. We met Evie at a park, of course, and despite her rambunctious, youthful energy we were able to get an interview. We think you’ll fall in love with her as we did and also become a bit more aware of epilepsy and how it touches so many lives every moment of each and every day.
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon at the park, and jumping out of her mother’s car popped this little spitfire in blue jeans and a ponytail who was excited to speak to me. We found a nearby picnic table, but Evie could not sit still. She was excited, nervous and a typical 10-year-old distracted by all the activity in the park. Since we had never met before I wanted to ease into conversation, and so I asked her name. She told me it was Evelyn. Asking if that’s what her friends called her, she told me they called her “Evie.” So I asked if I could call her that as well and she said yes. I asked if she knew why she was there, and she became giggly and said, “You want to put me in your magazine.” I reassured her that it would be no pressure, explained to her that I wanted to ask her a few questions and get to know her better, told her there were no right or wrong answers and we would take some photos of her just playing and having fun. She thought that sounded great. I then continued by asking how old she was. She said 10, but looking at her and then glancing over, her mother and I both silently agreed this child was older in wisdom than years. Here is the interview as followed:
FOF: What is one of your best talents?
Evie: Tennis. In fact I just got to practice with the pros at the tennis clinic at the Volvo Open this week. [I could see the pride on her face as she told me this.]
FOF: Do you have any hobbies or anything you like to do besides tennis?
Evie: I used to play baseball. But I like sports. I’m kind
of a tomboy.
FOF: Is there anything that scares you or makes you nervous?
Evie: Sometimes my epilepsy scares me, and the tests really scare me.
FOF: What is it that makes you special?
Evie: My epilepsy. I’m the only one in my class that has it, so it’s kind of cool to have because I can do anything that the other kids can do. I just have to be careful. We found out I’m really susceptible to certain things. Like rosemary will trigger a seizure, so I can’t be around rosemary or candles that have that oil base in it.
FOF: Do you like being a kid?
Evie: Yes. I like being a big sister especially because then I don’t have to share my toys and stuff if I don’t want to.
FOF: Hmmm. So what age do you think someone becomes an adult?
Evie: Eighteen to be an adult. Twenty to 25 to be a parent.
[We all had a nice chuckle over that, though she could not explain her logic.]
FOF: Do you have any advice for parents or anything you want to tell people in general?
Evie: Parents: Give kids what they want and do everything they want. And people: tell people I have a story and they should listen to and learn and like it. [She explained how often people do not understand her epilepsy, and she tries to explain it and they get frustrated or just become uninterested. This frustrates her.]
FOF: What is the hardest thing about being a kid?
Evie: Got to go to school while parents get to have fun.
FOF: What is the hardest thing about being a kid with epilepsy?
Evie: No one understands.
FOF: If you could grow up to be famous, what would you want to be famous for?
Evie: Tennis player.
FOF: What is your happiest memory?
Evie: Once we had a giant McDonald’s picnic in the living room. It was so much fun because we never get McDonald’s, plus we were all together.
FOF: Where is your most favorite place in the world?
Evie: Toys “R” Us and McDonald’s [she giggled].
FOF: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Evie: I’d buy a house with a robot to cook for me and do all my chores and homework.
FOF: Okay, Evie, almost done. Tell me the first things that come to your head. Not what you do or like or what people think but five words to describe you.
Evie: Sister. Athletic. Nice. Smart. Creative.
FOF: Last question. If you could make one rule that everyone in the whole world had to follow, what would it be?
Evie: Stop bullying!
As you probably did by this interview as well, we found Evie to be a typical 10-yearold and yet an exceptional individual. You may even see her on many of the epilepsy awareness walks around town. Because of her acute sensitivity to rosemary often found in many candles, her parents have created a line of scented candles. Purple Rose Candle offers soy natural candles and organic bath bombs! Partnered with the South Carolina Advocates for Epilepsy, they work to spread awareness