By John Bobo

Where we started

Dyslexia is one of the most misunderstood things on the planet. For parents, there’s nothing harder than knowing something is wrong and not finding answers from experts: teachers, school specialists, physicians, & optometrists.

In fourth grade, our son Anderson said: “For Chrstimas, I’m hoping Santa Claus brings me the gift of reading. Do you think he will?” When first grade began for our youngest son Reese, he came home from school crying & grabbing his head: “What’s wrong with my brain?” His pain was deep and real –why couldn’t he read like the other kids?

My wife and I were meeting faculty and principles:

School: “He sits quietly and reads to himself really well.”
Reality: They hadn’t noticed our son was pretending to read so that he could be like the other kids.
School: “Maybe he’s having trouble reading because there are issues at home.”
Me: “Then why can my 4th grader do 11th-grade math?”
School: (frowns) “Well, we still consider that average.”
Reality: To the school, a foot in boiling water and a foot in ice water is average.

Next, we are with our oldest son in an examination room at a children’s hospital, waiting for an endocrinologist –part of our continuous search for an answer.

A friendly woman wandered into the room. “Hey, I’m looking for your doctor. Okay, if I wait with you for her?” When the doctor arrives, this woman says: “Hey, are you guys okay if I sit in on your intake?” Sure. No problem.

Five minutes into the intake. This woman interrupts the doctor, sharply points at my wife and me and says: “Which one of you in school had…” and then she proceeds to list all of my private pain. Deep pain. All the secret things I didn’t tell people. Umm, wind must have blown sand into my eyes, which were watering: Who IS this woman? I gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

She said: “You know you’re dyslexic, right?”

Later, we learned that the woman was Dr. Carole Samango Sprouse, an expert in dyslexia, dyspraxia and chromosomal variations.

Early Diagnosis Changes Everything

She diagnosed our sons early at fourth and second grades with dyslexia. We worked with her team to learn interventions – clinical talk that describes how, with a new awareness, knowledge and tools, you can target changes that address weaknesses and play to their strengths. Early diagnosis changed everything. Knowing about their dyslexia reframed the entire school experience.

Walking Anderson to school, I put it like this: “Your teacher doesn’t understand dyslexia. So, when you are in school, you are like Clark Kent. They don’t know who you really are, and sometimes, they are going to bring out Kryptonite and, not understand what that does to you.But don’t worry, you be Clark Kent at school, and then, I’ll teach you how to fly. I will teach you how to fly.”

The two biggest things we learned were to: (1) teach our boys how to advocate for how they learn, and (2) let their gifts lead the way. We learned that dyslexic kids are like other children–they just learn differently.

Where we are now

Early awareness of dyslexia allowed my sons to navigate school and life. Both of them went to college on partial scholarships that later became full scholarships.

Anderson (28)

Anderson was recruited by the University of North Florida to be a Division I long-distance runner. Go Ospreys! A team captain his senior year, he graduated with a BA in Communications. Then, he went to the University of Florida, where he earned a Master's of Journalism.

Currently, he is the Creative Director for the University of Oregon Track Team. He’s a track and field photographer/videographer. He’s also done work for Nike, Adidas & Puma to name a few.

During the ‘24 Paris Olympics, my wife and I were watching the gold medal ceremony for Grant Holloway, who won the 110-meter hurdles. Then, we hear NBC sportscaster and former ESPN Sports Center host John Anderson say: “You know, there’s this really good photographer in the United States named Anderson Bobo…” and then he tells the story of a photo my son took & posted online the night before. (Read about it here.)

At that moment, we felt as if Anderson had won a gold medal. We could only think of his journey from a little boy asking Santa Claus for the gift of reading to the ‘24 Paris Olympics. All because we found out early.

Check out Anderson’s work here.

Reese (26)

Reese attended Ringling College of Art & Design to study film. His senior year he was a Trustee Scholar for the Department of Film. He was also selected to direct a student film he co-wrote with a crew of 31 students and actors flown in from LA.

After college, he worked as a grip in Film & Television in New Orleans. Some credits include: Carry-On (2024), Iron Claw (2023), Twisted Metal S1 (2023), Leverage Redemption S2 (2021), Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023), and Hit Man (2023). He’s also worked as a key grip for Mr Beast (YouTube) & Camera Assistant for Beast Games S1, E4 (Amazon).

If your 10th grade child asks for a tripod and green screen for Christmas, and you think: What? Really?? Just go with it.

Reese is also a maze & labyrinth artist. You can see his work here and his commentary on mazes/labyrinths on TikTok here.

Currently, Reese lives in Hollywood, CA. He works as an artist with curiosity and passion for the collaborative art of film – and views himself as a professional artist. What puts a lump in my throat is thinking of the journey he’s made from holding his head asking “What’s wrong with my brain?” to confidently walking onto a set with Director Richard Linklater.

I didn’t have that kind of courage at his age. But then, I never knew I was dyslexic until Dr. Sprouse wandered into that room by chance. Our family has nothing but profound gratitude for Dr. Sprouse –her professionalism, expertise, deep experience and caring. Dr. Sprouse and her team are amazing people who truly get to know your child, in the way teachers and schools most likely never did.