An exceptional fellow

An exceptional fellow is the unsentimental and powerful story of a child with multiple disabilities and his family. The boy is Torgeir, now 35 years of age. The father, Svein Olav, relates the shock he and his wife experienced one day in May 1975 when Torgeir came into the world. We hear the story of a young student couple's struggles in everyday life and about the significance of friends and family in the social circle surrounding Torgeir. The boy is a tough guy. He is another kind of Viking. Against all odds he has fought for and achieved a life of dignity. He experiences mastery and meaning on his own terms. How is that possible with serious sensory debilitation and other physical impairments? His father tells us how, and about the journey to an accurate diagnosis - CHARGE. An appeal to our sense of collective social responsibility for the most vulnerable among us runs like a red thread throughout the book. Is there any point in dedicating the greater portion of one's life to damaged goods? The answer - a resounding YES - resonates profoundly through the declaration of love that this book represents. The original book was written in Norwegian: En sjelden kar - En fars beretning. Translated into English by Diane Oatley.