When it comes to Marcos Mion’s son Romeo, the phrase “dance like no one is watching” springs to mind.
Marcos is a television host, actor, voice actor, and businessman who lives in São Paulo, Brazil. He and his wife, Suzana Gullo, have three children together. Their oldest son is Romeo, 13, whose autism has inspired his famous father to become an advocate for those on the spectrum since the moment the boy was diagnosed.
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“I consider it a unique chance that my son has given me to become a better human being by accompanying him on a high level of values, feelings and understanding of what are worthwhile things in this life,” Marcos stated.
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Since the day Romeo was born, Marcos has devoted countless hours to removing the stigma of autism in his native country of Brazil and beyond. His message of accepting people for who they are and not expecting them to conform to societal standards stems from his love and devotion to Romeo.
“If you consider that caring for a special child is a tragedy that will destroy your existence, your dreams, your image of a perfect family, you can bet it will. Life holds us surprises, and the person who has passed unharmed by her is about to be born! What makes me smiling and happy is the wisdom of accepting and facing my mission. If I get stuck with what might have been, if I stay hostage of ‘what if …’, life no longer shines. It becomes a difficult weight to bear.”
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Marcos often posts photos of his life and family on his massively popular social media pages, and the unconditional love that he feels for his children is palpable. In one video, Marcos shared a special moment between himself and his oldest son that brings a smile to the face of all who saw it.
In the clip, Marcos and Romeo are standing in a bedroom as Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” plays in the background. Who could resist dancing to that hip-shaking song? Not Romeo and Marcos, that’s for sure!
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As the music plays, Romeo and Marcos take turns showing off their dance moves. It’s just such a sweet, simple moment between father and son, yet it’s intimate enough that we feel we’re witnessing something beautiful.
“Even my closest friends ask me what it’s like to live with a special child,” Marcos wrote. “Romeo is like this. When he laughs it’s true, but sometimes he gets angry. When he cries it is because the tears have become stronger than the serenity, but when he is happy he shakes his whole hand shaking and jumping in a way that is impossible to disguise.”
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“When we dance the whole world disappears and there is nothing more pleasurable and important than the link formed there at that moment! Making sense of the phrase: ‘dance as if no one was looking.'”
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Marcos wraps up his caption by reminding others never miss an opportunity to connect with those who have special needs. Often when we do, we benefit from these interactions just as much, if not more, than they do.
Watch Marcos and Romeo sharing a dance in the video below, and please share to spread Marcos’ message of love and acceptance!
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