Photo Courtesy of Sarah Arora

Shaan Arora’s smile inspired so many others to smile with him.

Vernon Hills High School Class of 2015 graduate Shaan Arora passed away at the age of 20 on April 20.

Arora was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) at the age of 3. DMD is a rare disease caused by a defective gene that codes for a muscle protein. Because it is an X-linked genetic disease, males have a much higher chance of being affected by the disease than do females.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, DMD affects about 1 in every 3,600 male infants. DMD is a progressive disease that quickly worsens over the affected individual’s lifespan, causing deterioration of muscles and loss of coordination. Affected individuals rarely live beyond their twenties.

Sarah Arora, a senior at LHS and Shaan’s younger sister, said that Shaan “fought valiantly despite all odds. He lived a short but memorable 20 years.”

Although Shaan was physically impaired, he led a life of happiness, with abounding interests in Bollywood music, food, and computers. He had a very close relationship with Sarah and the rest of his family, spending time with them every day, she said.

“I always loved just hanging out with him every day,” Sarah said. “When my parents weren’t home, we’d go on the computer and take funny pictures. I always loved cooking for him, and sometimes he’d help me in the kitchen, whatever he could do.”

Shaan’s mother, Dimple Arora, was always around for him, working part-time at College of Lake County to ensure that she could always be there for him when he left for school, came home, or was at their home. Between Dimple and Shaan’s father, Vivek, Shaan was in good care, according to Sarah. “They tried their best,” she said. “My parents really were superparents.”

While at VHHS, Shaan made an impact on others. Karen Martin, a Special Education teacher who worked closely with Shaan, spoke on his cheery disposition that accompanied him wherever he went.

“Shaan always came in smiling,” she said. “He loved to make everyone laugh and had a silly sense of humor. He was a speed demon and went flying down the hallways grinning from ear to ear… He will be sorely missed.”

Kira Lauman, now a student at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, attended VHHS with Shaan and became very close friends with him.

The two met in the club Best Buddies and carried on their friendship in the Integrated P.E. class. “Instantly Shaan made a huge impact on my life. He [was] so kind hearted and so very intelligent.

“My very favorite memory was when my friend and I took him to Best Buddies Prom… When it was over and I had to leave, I hugged Shaan and said ‘love you,’ and he kissed me on the cheek,” Lauman recalled. “In that moment, I knew Shaan was a huge part of my life and that he would always have a special place in my heart. I think when you care about someone so much, there aren’t enough words to really describe the feeling of wanting the best for them and wanting them to be nothing but happy.”

After high school, Shaan began attending the Special Education District of Lake County’s Transition Center South in Mundelein.

Sarah explained that Shaan’s memory is being carried on by his family through pictures and by talking about him.

“We just talk about him every day, all the funny stuff he said, because he always made us laugh. We talk about his jokes and whenever we talk about him it brings a smile to our faces,” she said.

“I just want people to know that he can teach so many people not to give up and show you what’s truly important in the world. He fought through pain, and he can literally teach you to smile through pain… even though he suffered in pain all those years and through this disease, he never complained and he never said the words ‘I can’t do this.’”