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ST. GEORGE — A smile appeared on Jose Abram Bibliano's face as he began to hear his own lyrics put to a rap beat, a song that was produced by a trio of students at the Utah Arts Academy in St. George.
Heads bopped and people tapped their feet as the music filled the small theater inside the Utah Arts Academy on Wednesday afternoon. The lyrics reflected facets of the boy's life, such as his love for soda, Lucky Charms cereal, Scooby Doo, Sonic the Hedgehog and other pop culture favorites.
Once the song concluded, Bibliano clapped along with the rest of the crowd and then pressed a large button that was part of a machine that gave voice to his feelings.
"This is a dream come true," he said. "Thank you to everyone who did this for me. I love it."
Bibliano is unable to speak and see due to a degenerative condition called Oculodentodigital dysplasia, which affects the eyes, teeth and fingers. The 20-year-old is a student of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind, which supports individuals who are deaf and blind from birth to age 22.
He understands both Spanish and English fluently and loves to read and write in Braille; however, he now can't speak or read on his own because of his illness, according to a press release detailing Wednesday's special event. Bibliano's condition is terminal.
Staff at the school familiar with Bibliano's love of rap music and previous lyrics he has written contacted the Utah Arts Academy with an idea to spin Bibliano's lyrics into an actual rap song. Three seniors at the arts academy did just that and surprised Bibliano with the resulting tune.
