9781938467202

Billy Blue Sky is the story of a 10-year-old boy named Billy Pearlman, nicknamed Billy Blue Sky by his mother, Linda. Billy is smart, charming and intuitive beyond his years. He also happens to have Down syndrome, which can cause certain types of heart abnormalities. After open heart surgery, Billy seems to possess a new power that has profound effects on other people, changing their lives completely. Linda is not a religious person, but even she has a hard time understanding or explaining what is going on with her son. Soon their lives spin out of control. Billy attracts a following of people, many who do not have his best interests at heart, and are willing to do anything to obtain his gift. This is a story of true love, and how a little boy can change hearts and the world. It is the story of evil forces who try to take what is not theirs, and about the mother who will give her all to save her son.

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“This happened so the power of God
could be seen in him.”

John 9:3 (NLT)

Preface

My name is Billy Blue Sky. That’s my nickname—everyone calls me that. My fancy name is William Lincoln Pearlman, but I only use that on important grown-up papers. My mom gave me my nickname when I was little ‘cause I used to go outside and shout, “Blue Sky! Blue Sky! Blue Sky!” I remember doing that.

I still like to run around outside, especially when the sky is so blue, the way it gets sometimes right after a storm, when it’s like that snap crackle pop cereal. But I don’t say, “blue sky” anymore because I’m all grown up and grown-ups have to be serious. But I don’t mind if you call me Billy Blue Sky ‘cause that’s my name.

I want to tell you a story about what happened to me two years ago, when I was just ten-years-old. It seems like a long time ago, but my mom says it feels like yesterday. Gampa says it was just a few eye blinks ago, but I tried counting my eye blinks in an hour and it was more than a few. I told Gampa he was full of prunes. He laughed. I don’t like prunes.

I became famous. Famous is hard to explain to people. But I will try. One day you are just a kid who is playing and nobody seems to notice you. Then, a few people got to know me on account of I can heal people. Well, those people told other people and then the television people got involved and then I became famous. Pretty soon, more people know you and talk about you, then you meet more people than you ever thought you’d meet.

It’s not hard or anything. I didn’t really do anything. It is their job to make you famous, so they work really hard and you don’t have to do much. When you are famous, people sneak you ice cream. I liked that. My mom got upset with it all, but I don’t think she was mad at me.

I love my mom. Her name is Linda. I think she may be the most special woman in the entire world. She’s still not sure about God, which is a little surprising to me since we saw so much magic. She’s the finest invention God ever made. She is awesome and bad-to-the-bone cool. She is my mom. I know your mom is great, but my mom is the greatest! She is S-P-E-C-I-A-L!

I’m special too. I’ve been called special all my life because I have Down syndrome. It makes me look funny and sound funny and walk funny. Yup, I’m a funny guy! You may not believe this, but I’m glad God let me have Down syndrome ‘cause I get to help others who are like me, and people who are not like me. Being special is cool. And I’m really good at Special Olympics basketball and I got three gold medals this year.

The story I’m going to tell you really happened, but it may be hard for you to believe because some magic stuff happened. My Gamma calls it, “God stuff.” I used to call God, “Sky Daddy,” but now I just call Him God, or late at night in my bed when I’m all alone, I still call Him Sky Daddy, but I don’t like to tell others because it sounds like baby talk. God doesn’t mind if we baby talk to Him. He likes it.

Gamma says God looks just like me, but I think she was trying to be nice. Why would God want Down syndrome? My Gamma says a smart heart is better than a smart brain. If everyone had Down syndrome I think they would be happier, even if they aren’t as smart as some people.

Down syndrome was named after a doctor who discovered it. His name was Dr. Down. My Gampa likes to say, “Get Down, Billy!” and then he dances around like a special needs man. Gamma says, “Stop it, Henry!” whenever Gampa does that, but it makes me laugh ‘cause he’s so silly.

Dr. Down found out that people like me are missing a chromosome, which is a tiny little thing inside of us we can’t even see without a super powerful microscope. I looked in one once and there were squirming things like baby crabs in there. Gave me the creeps. I don’t like the idea of baby crabs living inside me, but the doctor said there were T-rex white cells that beat up the crabs. I like having T-rex super heroes living inside me. That’s super cool!

If you want to read my story you have to believe in magic. I want you to pinky swear with me. That means you mean it. You don’t have to swear to God ‘cause my Gampa said God doesn’t like it when we swear at Him.

Now put up your pinky and pretend you’re hooking yours with mine. Close your eyes and say, “I promise to believe whatever Billy says ‘cause it is the truth, so help me God.’’

Because God will help you if you ask Him to.

I hope you like my story. I asked my mom and dad to help me tell it, even though they don’t really like each other.

Love,

Billy

Chapter 1

Linda

“Look, Mom,” Billy said, excitedly pointing out the window. “Blue sky outside.” He touched his chest and said, “Billy Blue Sky inside.”
He laughed, then grimaced as the tape holding the EKG leads pulled against his chest. “Owee.”

My parents and I waited with Billy in his room at Riverview Hospital, a local children’s hospital here in Virginia Beach. Summer vacation had just begun, so Billy’s friend Jerome was there too. He and Billy were inseparable, the “Two Detectives’’ as they liked to call themselves. They had been best buddies since the first grade and lucky for us, Jerome lived within walking distance. So, we saw a lot of him and his family.

The hospital makes the visit as fun as possible, with silly cartoon creatures on the wall, cartoon patient gowns, and cartoons on the TV. Practically a Disney hospital! Jerome and Billy had already picked out their characters and were goofing full time. Each room had a pullout couch for parents to sleep over and plenty of extra seating to create a more casual setting, unlike a typical hospital.

But you can only cover up so much. Billy was about to be wheeled into an OR for open-heart surgery to correct a ventricular septal defect; a fancy name for a hole in his heart. Doctors call it VSD. It is a common surgery for kids with Down syndrome, and many of his friends bore the tell-tale vertical scars on their chests. But even though he was about to have his chest cracked open, Billy was cracking jokes.

“Hey, Jerome,” he said, “I’m gonna have scars just like Frankenstein.” Jerome put his arms out and started walking around like Frankenstein, bumping into things. He walked up to me and acted like he was going to eat my head. Billy burst with laughter as he and Jerome high-fived each other.

“Very funny, wise guys,” I said. “Your doctors are going to stop by soon, Billy. What are you going to tell them?”

“They are awesome!”

“What else?”

“Be careful.”

We laughed, but Gamma broke down and sobbed. Billy doesn’t like to see people cry, especially his Gamma. So, he motioned her over to the chair beside his bed. Jerome watched cartoons with my dad, oblivious to the drama playing out beside them.

Billy brightened his Gamma’s mood doing what he always does, using simple honesty. He had done this since he was a baby. My mom was sixty-five, and Billy was only ten, yet he was the adult in that moment. He was the one going under the knife yet he was unafraid, ministering to the needs of his favorite Gamma. That was Billy...

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Billy Blue Sky

Billy Blue Sky

1938467205

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