This funny, adventurous and inquisitive 16-year-old has his sight set on a career as a Quantum Physicist, so it’s not surprising Science is Dante’s favourite subject in school. This grade 10 student is an avid chess player and enjoys reading science fiction books, playing video games and making music on the computer. He is also an active sailor and is working toward obtaining his sailing license through CANsail.

One of four boys, Dante lives in Toronto with his mom and dad, Ipek and Osbourne, two younger brothers, Damon and Darius, along with the family’s dog, two cats and pet turtle, Happy. His rule in the household is to always be a good big brother, but he also makes it his mission to play jokes on his brothers at every opportunity.

Dante was born with quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy and bilateral hearing loss, which impacts his ability to stand, walk and write. He uses a wheelchair for mobility, hearing aids and he has an educational assistant at school to scribe his notes. Determined to become more independent, Dante is working on transferring in and out of his wheelchair on his own.

An experienced Easter Seals camper, Dante has been to both Camp Woodeden and Camp Merrywood, where he has developed a love for fishing. Popular with both counsellors and cabin-mates, he also enjoys participating in the environmental program as well as arts and crafts and music and drama.

During his year as Provincial Easter Seals Ambassador, Dante is striving to help the organization achieve a record fundraising year, so they can assist the greatest number of children possible. He is looking forward to travelling to new places, meeting new people and spreading the message of the importance of accessibility and that kids with physical disabilities are the same other kids and want to do the same things.