Dear Sir/Madam:

It is with great pride that I provide this letter with regard to the character of Mr. Conor Silva. I
have had the privilege of knowing Conor since days following his birth. I have had the even
greater honor of being his aunt. Of course, as a family member, it can easily be argued that I am
biased. I would agree that I am, in fact, biased as I would love him regardless of the depth of his
character. The fact of the matter, however, is that Conor makes it easy to admire him, and to
applaud him because of the type of young man that he is.
Each of us is born into this world with our unique gifts, and in many cases, challenges. Conor
was born with both, but has overcome challenges that most of us can scarcely imagine, let alone
empathize with. Conor Jarrad Silva was born June 18, 1996. He weighed just 1pounds 9 ounces.
The odds of his survival were small. His biological mother did not possess the ability to be a
parent, thus she left the hospital shortly after his birth. Conor was orphaned when he was only
hours old and fighting for his life. Despite this obstacle, his beautiful spirit was evident from the
onset. It was easy to fall in love with the dark skinned little man who could literally fit in the
palm of your hand. He fought and he thrived. Upon reaching the milestone weight of five
pounds, Conor was released from the hospital into a family who chose him, who love him, and
who believe in him.
Despite the depth of love that family members have for one another, the uniqueness of our
family added some additional challenges for Conor. As an African American young man who was
adopted to a Caucasian mother and Hispanic father, that sense of cultural understanding and
acceptance was always a challenge. Particularly as a teenager, understanding where you fit in,
who you can relate to was difficult, but again, Conor persevered. He has not allowed the feeling
of being different mold who he is. So, who is Conor Silva? He is a hard worker. This is evidenced
by the extra effort that he puts into school to overcome some learning difficulties and a hearing
impairment that resulted from his premature birth. It is further evidenced by his athletic
success, which he has achieved despite severe respiratory problems that resulted from being
born with dangerously underdeveloped lungs. He is kind and protective. His cousins will
frequently call him the quiet, gentle giant. He is strong physically, but has demonstrated that he
is even stronger mentally. He has resisted using his physical strength to retaliate against those
who have teased him about his hearing or made comments related to being one of the few
minority students at his previous school. I know very few individuals who have the strength of
character to overcome the cruelty that some have directed toward him.
One last testament to the depth of Conors character and this one is difficult to admit. Previous
generations of our family were not always the most accepting of other races and cultures. This
was not out of malice or intentional distain, but rather from ignorance. Conor changed that
simply by being Conor. His amazing spirit and kind heart taught us all that love is colorblind.
Sadly, his great grandmother suffered a critical medical condition two years ago. She was placed
on a ventilator and heavily sedated. When most of us entered the room, her reaction was
minimal. When Conor entered the room, her reaction was amazing. She could sense her boy
was there. Conors character is so pure that it transcended her lack of consciousness. She has
since recovered and nothing makes her day better than when Conor comes to visit. He has
changed our family for good. He has changed us all forever.
Very truly yours,
Coni L. Hull-Sullivan
Coni L. Sullivan, Esq.
Assistant Superintendent for
Human Resources and Legal Services
Kent Intermediate School District
(616) 365-2220