A Galion teen with Asperger’s Syndrome received a musical gift Sunday during his 16th birthday party.
His brother, Chad, a 2005 Galion High School graduate, brought his band Ironglide from Nashville, Tenn. to play a surprise concert for him.
“Awesome. It is awesome today.” Markus said, adding he didn’t know about the party. ”I knew he had a gig in Ohio. I didn’t know it was for me.”
Markus will be a junior this fall at Pioneer Pioneer Career and Technology Center.
And for his brother, Chad, it was simply a matter of paying it forward.
“When I was 16 my mom employed my uncle to play for my 16th birthday party.” Chad said, “It was a big deal. Walk in massive surprise.”
Chad said he admires his brother.
“He has had a hard way to go most of his life. A lot of confusion from the Asperger’s Syndrome.” Chad said before the party, “This would give me a chance to get a bunch of people together. For him to see how many people are there for him. And he can call them his friends. Markus listens to to us all the time. It’s nice to be able to play for him.”
In August, the band will have been together for two years and already they consider themselves family.
“We wanted to do this for Chad’s brother.” Ironglide band member Michael Elliot said, “We like to consider ourselves family, as a band. Anything to help each other out.”
