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PROFILES DEC. 22, 2017
A BROTHERLY BOND Over the years, the Crowley family has had to overcome certain challenges of having a son with epilepsy. Despite this, brothers Aiden and Orion Crowley ‘18 have forged a special relationship that is stronger than words can express. BY JESSICA MOONJELY
A
fter coming home from school, the first thing brothers Aiden and Orion Crowley ’18 do is go to the swing on their back porch. They’ll turn on the radio, enjoy the fresh air and just swing. Few words pass between them, but both smile just the same. They already know what the other is feeling. There is a feeling of love that connects them without words. Before Orion was born, a blood clot formed in his brain, causing a stroke. This led to him having epilepsy, a neurological condition that can cause spontaneous seizing. The seizures caused Orion extreme agitation and frustration, and when he was five, he had his first two brain surgeries. His third and final major brain surgery gave him some relief from the constant seizure activity. It was then, at age seven, that he truly began to learn and develop. Orion’s seizures have always been one of the biggest challenges he and his family have had to face. “I remember when I was younger he would be walking and all of a sudden stop, freeze, and his arm would go out. At first, it scared me because I didn’t understand what was going on,” Aiden said. “My parents always reacted startled[ly] because as soon as his body seized up they were scared that he would fall down the stairs or something. So I was a little scared when stuff like that happened because I saw how my parents reacted, but I got used to it.” Now at age 20, Orion and his family have learned how to handle his seizures. Though the Crowleys have become accustomed to Orion’s
episodes over the years, it doesn’t make them any easier on their family. “A few years ago, I saw videos of his first seizures when he was really young. That was kind of emotional for me. Seeing how bad they were, that kind of scared me,” Aiden said. “I just had more appreciation for my parents [and] all the stuff they had gone through. [I saw] how
“ H E ’S ALWAYS B E E N LI K E MY B EST F RI E N D. WH E N I WAS YOU N G E R I D I DN ’T U N DE RSTAN D EVE RYTH I N G GO I N G O N WITH H I M , BUT I N EVE R TH OUG HT O F H I M AS D I F F E R E NT O R STR AN G E ,” -AI DEN CROWLEY ‘18 they handled all that on a daily basis, made our lifestyle seem more normal and all the extra work they go through. They never stop working. They’ll go from work to home, have to make food for him, feed him, they used to have to crush all of his medicine, get him ready and everything.”
Along with his seizures, Orion has limited speech and mobility. He has had hand surgeries to keep his wrist and ligaments straight and also wears a brace on his right leg to help him walk. The left side of his brain is mostly unresponsive, but that doesn’t prevent him from communicating his emotions. “His biggest thing is his facial expressions. He’s very expressive. When he’s upset or something, he’ll raise his eyebrows and get in your face. And the way he’ll say things, he will get more serious and use his deeper voice, so you can tell when he’s happy or mad,” Aiden said. “You don’t necessarily need all of the vocal communication to understand what he’s feeling.” In fact, the difficulties Orion’s condition poses have strengthened the special bond Aiden and Orion share. “He’s always been like my best friend. When I was younger I didn’t understand everything going on with him, but I never thought of him as different or strange,” Aiden said. “He’s always been there for me. He’s always happy and will never put you in a bad mood. It’s always nice to have him around any time you’re feeling upset or sad. He’s always just got a big smile on his face.” According to the boys’ father, Bret Crowley, Aiden has felt a self-imposed obligation to Orion from a very young age. “I think Aiden was about seven when he told his mother and I that we didn’t have to worry about Orion’s future,” Bret said. “Aiden told us that when he grows up he was going to get a good paying job and build a big house so Orion could live with him and that he would care for