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by Stephen Fobes
October 7, Part 1 - Gerard's early, and sometimes difficult, years. October 20, Part 2 - Gerard's High School Experience (the Secret Weapon!) October 27, Part 3 - Garth Brooks and the Music Video. November 3, Part 4 - The many sides of Gerard Fobes. 
We then enrolled him in Corona Del Mar High School where he attended special education classes and was mainstreamed for a few of the classes that he might be able to handle. We were worried that the students would tease him and make it difficult for him to adjust to such a big school. He wanted to be accepted and initially he chose the wrong approach. He became a rebel. He would sneak his tank top and his sisters handkerchief, like the gang members wore, to school. Since he was a big fan of the Fonze at the time we bought him a leather jacket. That only added to his rebel wardrobe. We were called in to have a vice principal to parent talk about his behavior. It was at that meeting the football coach decided to take him under his wing. That changed his entire school experience. He was the water boy for the football team. Soon he was the only handicapped student in the student government. He was leading the cheers with the cheerleaders during the rallies at the high school. He got to know all the football players and they would greet him whenever they would see him in town. He was BMOC. Jeanne, Gerard and I were invited to the awards banquets during graduation. We were honored, but could not understand the reason. During the presentations, Gerard got an award for most improved student in the auto shop class, and as the presentations were drawing to a close one more award was to be presented. Gerard got the School Spirit Award, an award that is usually given to the star athlete. When he went up to get his trophy he got a standing ovation. Jeanne and I were in tears. The award is a permanent trophy displayed in the school trophy cabinet and has his name engraved on the trophy along with prior winners. A reporter printed a story about Gerard in the LA Times with photographs of him participating in the student government program and with the football team. He went to hell week with the team and had his photo taken with the team for distribution. He got a letterman football jacket and it was embossed with Secret Weapon on the front. He felt he had to attend every football game or the team would lose since he was the secret weapon. He still is the water boy for the football team, 10 years later, and I still take him to the games. When I can't, Jeanne takes him, or we find someone who can get him to the game. Each year he is invited to the football banquet. He had a wonderful experience in high school. The students and teachers loved him. Some years later Jeanne and I met his vice principal at a gathering and he told us a story that still fills him with delight about Gerard speaking before a parent teacher meeting. He stood before the group and after a few moments declared "You know I am the big man on campus at the high school". During the summers he would swim at the Y. He became an excellent swimmer and won many awards locally for different strokes. He was invited to the State Special Olympics at the UCLA campus. We won a bronze and a silver medal at this meet. Even though it was the Special Olympics, statewide there are many excellent swimmers. He is competitive and he was proud to have won. | |||
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