Rand Paul: “My nephew Mark Pyeatt has neurofibromatosis 2, NF2, but that is not who he is. He is an indomitable spirit, a courageous…”

“My nephew Mark Pyeatt has neurofibromatosis 2, NF2, but that is not who he is. He is an indomitable spirit, a courageous young man, a man who knows and faces each day certain that he is one with his God. He is like many young people on Earth--he is in search of the truth. He reads, he thinks, but he no longer hears. Neurofibromatosis 2 is characterized by recurrent neurologic tumors. Its signature tumor affects the auditory nerves and destroys the hearing. Its relentless course eventually takes all of the hearing. I have never heard Mark complain. While my signing is only rudimentary, most of his immediate family are proficient, and at Christmas dinner for 40 family members, nearly everyone is trying to learn some signing. The grandkids sing, ``Happy Birthday, Jesus. I am so glad you came.'' The whole family is learning to communicate with their hands. I mostly like to learn insults so I can taunt Mark on the golf course. I can't use most of the signs he taught me on the Senate floor. I don't know this for certain, but I think the seven words George Carlin said you can't say on TV, I think you can't sign them on TV either. I love the way names for people in sign language are created only by the deaf. Mark's mother Lori is ``L'' to the ear because she is on the phone all the time. My wife Kelley is ``K'' sweet. My middle son Duncan is ``D'' in a hoop because he likes basketball. Neurofibromatosis 2 is a rare disease. Some call it an orphan disease.…”