A Tribute to Jonathan Bryan

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Jonathan Bryan was an extraordinary young man whose courage, creativity and unwavering spirit inspired everyone he met. Born with severe quadriplegic cerebral palsy, he defied every expectation placed upon him, refusing to be defined by labels or limitations eyecantalk.net+9goodnewspost.co.uk+9premiernexgen.com+9.

From a young age, Jonathan communicated through eye gaze, painstakingly spelling out words one letter at a time. With incredible determination, he wrote Eye Can Write: A Memoir of a Child’s Silent Soul Emerging, with a foreword by Michael Morpurgo, who said it was “rare to meet a spirit that has just emerged… It’s fresh and it’s important” swindonadvertiser.co.uk+4itv.com+4biographs.org+4. Through that memoir, and his heartfelt poetry—echoing voices he once feared might never be heard—he revealed not only his interior world, but a profound plea for dignity, inclusion and opportunity.

Jonathan founded Teach Us Too, a charity dedicated to ensuring that non‑verbal and profoundly disabled children are taught literacy, challenging the false assumptions his peers and teachers once made: “non‑speaking is not the same as non‑thinking” inkl.com+6news.sky.com+6news.sky.com+6. His decade‑long activism—writing, speaking at conferences, meeting MPs, and captivating teachers with his message—transforming schools’ practices and giving a voice to those who’d been overlooked .

At just 19, whilst studying Creative Writing at Bath Spa University, Jonathan tragically died. Yet even in death, his legacy speaks louder than ever. He showed us that intelligence, creativity, compassion and advocacy are not the province of the able-bodied—they live within each of us, when given the chance to flourish.

To Jonathan’s family, friends, and everyone touched by his life: you gave the world a gift that transcends his years. He taught us to see beyond disability, to nurture potential, and to cherish every human voice. Though his time with us ended too soon, his impact endures—every letter he spelt, every line he wrote, every mind he opened.

In memory of Jonathan Bryan, let us commit:

• To challenge assumptions about what children with complex needs can achieve.
• To teach literacy and creativity to all, without prejudice or presumption.
• To amplify the voices of those still unheard, and to honour Jonathan by keeping alive his powerful truth.

Rest in power, Jonathan. You were truly a voice for the voiceless—now and forever.

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Jonathan founded Teach Us Too , a charity dedicated to ensuring that non‑verbal and profoundly disabled children are taught literacy, challenging the false assumptions his peers and teachers once made: “non‑speaking is not the same as non‑thinking”

In memory of Jonathan Bryan, let us commit:

• To challenge assumptions about what children with complex needs can achieve.
• To teach literacy and creativity to all, without prejudice or presumption.
• To amplify the voices of those still unheard, and to honour Jonathan by keeping alive his powerful truth.

Rest in power, Jonathan. You were truly a voice for the voiceless—now and forever.

👏