A Prince Among Kings

David King tells Andrea Smith about the highlights and challenges of his son Adam’s amazing journey this year.

While we all thought we couldn’t fall more deeply in love with Adam King, the seven-year-old boy completely melted the nation’s heart even further recently when he hosted part of The Late Late Show.

The youngster was as cool as a breeze when he interviewed Ryan Tubridy, although his dad David admits to Woman’s Way that he was apprehensive about their joint appearance. “It’s funny because I’m normally not nervous about these things, and it was actually Adam who carried me through,” he says.

Adam lives in East Cork with his dad, mum Fiona and siblings Danny (12), Katie (10), Robert (9) and Sarah (20 months). He lives with a brittle bone condition called Osteogenesis imperfecta Type 111, a genetic condition characterised by a shortened stature and bones that can break easily.

When he appeared on the Late Late Toy Show last year, viewers were won over by Adam’s sunny disposition and charisma, and also by the virtual hug he wanted to give everyone.

The idea resonated with a country battling with Covid restrictions, and the virtual hug was soon available to buy in the form of a card from SuperValu stores, with the proceeds going to the hospitals that treat Adam.

David has now written a gorgeous book called A Hug for You, which is based on the huge and uplifting impact Adam had on the country. While it is written in a very child-friendly and accessible way, there is a deep meaning behind it.

“It’s the story of how these people took one tiny gesture that came from the joyful heart of an amazing little boy, and used that gesture as their symbol to be able to connect,” says David. “I hope that when people read it, they will see a lot of their experiences and the challenges that they met during Covid in there.”

While he knows he has a very special child, presumably life has changed in a way David couldn’t have anticipated for Adam since last Christmas? “I think it’s been a very enabling year for him,” says David.

“Having additional needs brings its own challenges and those challenges never go away, and while Adam has always dealt with them with grace and with dignity, people definitely see now that he is a child with his own voice and ambitions. I think that the treasured memories he has made over the past year and the confidence it has given him has made things a little less challenging for him, in a way.”

David and Fiona are grateful that Adam is growing up in a global society where there are many role models living with disabilities and additional needs, and they are touched that Adam now gets to be one of those role models for other children. They hope he will help people to recognise that all children have creative minds and those with additional needs are children first and foremost, and their additional needs come second.

Adam is set to star in an upcoming Christmas animation on RTÉjr on Christmas Eve called Adam Saves Christmas. It features Adam as the titular character, alongside Ryan Tubridy as the voice of Santa.

“I was really quite emotional when Adam said that children in wheelchairs all over the world seeing that the hero of the cartoon is a wheelchair user will make them realise they can be heroes too,” says David. “ The importance of these types of things is really not lost on him.”

With five children in the family, it’s very important to David and Fiona that everyone is included and that nobody is placed above the other.

“Adam is more relaxed and happy when his family are with him, and if you asked him what his stand-out moment was, he’d say being on the Late Late with his family,” he says. “He knows he wouldn’t be the amazing, fantastic boy that he is without his amazing, fantastic brothers and sisters.”

Many people may not be aware that while former astronaut Commander Chris Hadfield turned up on the RTÉ show to surprise Adam, he stayed in contact with the family afterwards. e situation arose because Adam has expressed an interest in being a capsule commander (Capcom)- his condition means that he can’t be an astronaut.

One of David’s most memorable moments was when Hadfield’s team made contact afterwards to say that he would like to have another chat with the entire family.

A Hug For You by David King is published by Sandycove and is available now.

“We had a Zoom chat with Chris for 30 minutes, and came away from it saying that it was one of the things we will remember forever,” says David. “It wasn’t a call about space and missions, as the whole tone of the conversation was about living a good life, being a good person, and making a difference in your own life and the lives of others.”

“It was just unbelievable, even for myself as an adult. He is an amazing man, and Fiona and I were saying how incredible it was that our children had been part of that conversation.”

Another wonderful thing that happened was when US president Joe Biden wrote to Adam, saying that his message helps to give strength to himself and the people working to battle Covid. “I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that Adam got a personal letter from a sitting American president,” says David. “And the Taoiseach coming to our garden to deliver it was totally unreal too.”

The King children are naturally excited for Christmas this year, and their interests lie around books, stories, imagination and creativity. Adam is hoping that Santa might bring a Toniebox children’s audio player for kids, and had his letter written by the time Halloween had barely finished.

“He had a couple of things on the list and wondered if he was asking for too much,” David laughs. “And I said, ‘You have made many people all over the world happy during a very difficult time, and have probably raised close to half a million euros for your hospitals this year. I have a feeling that you’re on the nice list this year and the same goes for your brothers and sisters.’”

David’s hopes for the future are that Adam continues to both be enabled, empowered and inspired and does the same for others. The most challenging thing for him personally has been managing energy, even though he’s very grateful for all that has happened this year and the fantastic support team around Adam and the family.

Adam had a couple of falls this year, and he fractured his femur in April, which, unfortunately, happens easily as part of his condition. David hopes his inspirational son’s health stays good and he continues to navigate life well with a challenging genetic condition.

“Breaks and fractures are a part of Adam’s life and they can mean surgery, which can be unnerving for anyone of any age,” he says. “Which is why we’re so grateful to be able to shine a light on all the people, groups, hospitals and charities that have been so good to him, and work so hard to make the hospital experience a happy and enjoyable one for Adam.”

A Hug For You by David King is published by Sandycove and is available now.

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