Chicken Soup For The Soul's Hidden Heroes Featuring 321Life - Brandon Gruber

Brandon was recently featured in an episode of CBS' Chicken Soup For The Soul's Hidden Heroes. You can see the full episode here and Brandon's portion below.

Los Angeles and Back In One Day!

Back in August,  my friend Mikako and I flew to L.A.  for a runway model casting call. My mom found out about the opportunity from her friend and wanted me to have a chance at living my dream. There is a big change happening right now in the fashion industry, people are starting to make clothes for all different types of bodies and sizes. A group called Bezgraniz Couture was looking for models and I would be a great one.

So we packed our bags and caught an early morning flight to Long Beach. From Long Beach I ordered us a Lyft ride on my phone. Our driver was waiting for his big break in show biz too. He wants to be a comedian and write for T.V. shows. We talked about life in L.A. and where all the celebrities like to hang out. I got the “inside scoop”.

It took a while to get to the studio because traffic was kind of bad. He dropped us off and wished me luck, saying one day he hoped to see my face on a billboard. When we walked in to the place I felt so excited to be there and saw many, many different people with diverse differences.   

We got in line and started making friends right away. It made the waiting easier to chat with other people who share my same dream.Most people were interesting with amazing life stories. I met a woman who had been in combat and lost her leg, someone who had Polio as a child, and a young woman who had epilepsy.

I had to get my measurements taken before I walked the runway, that was a new experience for me! We watched other people getting their turn to shine, strutting their stuff on the catwalk. I waited hours before it was my turn. When I finally got up there I had three chances to walk the runway. The third time was the best; I threw in a little personal touch and flexed my bicep. The crowd loved it and people laughed and clapped. It felt so good to know I was rockin’ it!

After my turn on the runway, Mikako and I went to lunch at a really cool restaurant in a hip neighborhood called Echo Park. We spent two hours eating, drinking fizzy juices, resting, and enjoying the different vibe. I was imagining myself living there and what that would look like; L.A. is where my heart lives, I’d like it to be my residence too! After lunch I got us another Lyft driver.  This guy had grown up in the city and had lots of good information to share. I was tired though and took a power nap in the car while Mikako asked him questions about life in L.A.

When I woke up we were in Burbank! We cruised around on foot, just relaxing now that the hardest part of the trip was over. Mikako offered to buy me some ice cream because we were having such a good time. She was really, really proud of me for hanging tough through such a long day.

We made it to the airport in Burbank with plenty of time to spare. Which was lucky because we had a couple of surprises with our boarding passes not working. We both got a little nervous but took time to calm down and fix the problem, in the end it was no big deal. The sun was setting as we boarded our flight, the hills had a beautiful Southern California glow. It was Mikako’s turn to take a nap and she slept a little bit on the plane. Back in San Jose we picked up the car and drove home, to dream of getting called back for L.A. Fashion Week in October!

I haven’t heard back from them yet, but whether I get a chance to be in the show or not it was a great experience for me. I got to see some of L.A. with my friend, we made new friends with cool people, ate great food, and had a lot of fun.

I'm Headed to College - Brandon Gruber -321Life

Last week I started school.  I am taking 3 classes.   They are: Intro to Acting, Beginning Weight Training and Planning for Success! I was excited to go to college.  It is the beginning of a new chapter in life.  My professors are really cool and cares for the students and me. I know it is going to be fun and I will learn many things. My academic partner is Mikako and I am already working on course homework and have laid out our schedule.  It’s very cool to see some of my friends from High School. My long term is going to UCLA(Pathways Program), live on my own and eventually work in Hollywood.

I want all of you to know that college and career are possible if you are willing to study and work hard. For all parents, remember to support and believe in your child. They will show you just how much they can achieve when given a chance.

Your Friend,

Brandon Gruber

Down Syndrome Awareness in NYC - Brandon Gruber - 321Life

The National Down Syndrome Society established a Buddy Walk in 1995 to promote inclusion and awareness.  There are now 275 walks across the country.  This year, in Central Park, Brandon Gruber received the highest honor of The Dan Piper Advocacy award.  This award is to commemorate Dan Piper's life by celebrating a self-advocate through everyday activities. brings about a greater public awareness and understanding of people with Down syndrome in their community.  It was quite an honor and he gave a speech.  He always ends with something to think about.  

Parents - Don’t ever give up on your child.

Educators - Open the door and give us a chance.

Employers - Don’t underestimate us.

Community - Embrace us!

Highlights from NDSCC 2016!

On Friday morning my dad and I hit the ground running in Florida. I was so excited to be there! I had breakfast that first morning with my Ruby’s Rainbow family (check out their cool website!). After that I headed to the big conference hall by myself, independent and feeling good. I spent the morning hanging out at the Reason to Smile booth and the Ruby’s Rainbow booth. I was able to meet and talk with lots of other people at the conference; older girls, younger girls, mothers, fathers, sisters, and old friends from many different states. It was great to see some of my old friends and make lots of new friends too!

The second day dad and I spent time learning new skills and ideas. The classes were fun and interesting. I learned about long distance relationships and how to deal with the challenges of being far from your sweetheart. I also learned about getting ready for college and how to get your boxes to your dorm. I went to a workshop on speaking up with a big voice, self-advocating for younger kids, and helping parents with teaching  independent skills. Later that night at the dance, I asked all 15 girls to dance with me! And they all said yes! Some of the girls with DS asked me to dance with them, we all had a great time that night.

While we were at the conference I also:

• Learned how Zumba dancing is just a different kind of fun dance, I tried it out…

• Played self-advocate trivia

• Showed off my awesome hip hop dance skills in the talent show

• Spent time with my dad swimming at the hotel

• Met the cast of the “Born This Way” TV show on A&E

• Went to restaurants in Orlando

• Had a blast!

Coming home my dad and I  felt great, extra happy that we had so much success together and learned so much. I can’t wait for next year!