Turning 18 is always a pretty big deal for the new adult and their family, but sometimes the celebration spreads through a larger community.
More than 30 cars gathered in the parking lot at the Great Road Shopping Center on Saturday afternoon, November 14, to celebrate Aram Varjabedian’s 18th birthday with a surprise drive-by parade. The cars were accompanied by both Bedford police and fire department apparatus.
Aram is well-loved by his friends and football team classmates. In October 2019, he and a crew of his BHS Best Buddies raised $3,000 under the banner “I Can Do It” to promote acceptance and inclusivity of those with Down Syndrome during the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress Annual Buddy Walk. Click https://thebedfordcitizen.org/2019/10/bhs-team-i-can-do-it-supporting-the-annual-buddy-walk to read about the 2019 Buddy Walk.
Aram’s family has always encouraged him to reach for high goals. They are strong advocates of inclusion and have seen its benefits as Aram progressed through the Bedford schools.
Aram hopes to attend a college that offers an inclusive learning and skills program. Proud of his Armenian cultural heritage, Aram is a member of a local Armenian dance company. He loves to dance and has a talent for it.
According to his mother, Pearlene Varjabedian, “Aram has a committed and undying respect and care for his close friends and peers at BHS who have been there since our family moved to Bedford in 2013. Aram thinks of his sister Lara, a 2018 BHS grad who’s now a junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, as a true mentor; he calls her “his Best buddy.”
More images from the parade:
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