“I am not only special, I am extra special."

Raymund Gabriel was born with special challenges. He was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when he was four years old. As a child, his communication skills were very limited, however, he also developed a propensity for drawing. His parents were extremely supportive and would give him lots of papers and crayons to work on. The images that he drew were mostly about his family being happy together. Eventually, the drawings had become a medium to convey his emotions and experiences.

His art does not follow a certain pattern or formal discipline but likes exploring various mixture of colors and figures.  Moreover, It is based on his unique perception and creative interpretation which makes it truly special. 

Raymund Gabriel has been an active member of Special Olympics since he was a child.  He also regularly attends the Empower Simcoe Youth activities. As a way of giving back, donations are made to support their programs.

Raymund's winning artwork was featured as the cover of the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board's 2019 Christmas card. Recipients of the card included colleagues and partners in Catholic and public education in Ontario as well as the Premier and Prime Minister.

Supporting Special Olympics, Autism Ontario and Empower Simcoe.