by Brock Dietz ’25
cont. from pg. 20 with strength and confidence. Looking the audience in their eyes, I eventually embraced Stuttering. At the beginning of 2020, I finally lost my friend of ten years. I was pretty sure that he would not be watching over me, but that’s alright. During our time together, Stuttering and I had grown in so many ways. We were vigorous when we spoke at a student council election campaign, emceed countless local ceremonies, and accompanied each other through the stages of impromptu speech contests. We were creative when we performed science shows, recorded music videos, and sang a selfcomposed mathematics song in front of the whole student body. We were resilient when we coached ESL students for public speaking, created a YouTube channel, and empowered those facing a similar impediment to throw their voices into the world. Looking back, I still see the kid who delivered countless soliloquies in front of the mirror. Smothering with tough love, Stuttering has given me a sense of purpose, making me the person I am today. A fearful stutterer I was, a proud stutterer I am.
OUTCROPPINGS • Volume 43 •
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