AT just 18 years old, Nathaniel Bailey has already achieved many things: Jamaica’s first internationally competing para-surfer, a cybersecurity student, a social media motivator, and a national awardee.

But to those who truly know him, Nathaniel is someone even more powerful — a symbol of unshakable purpose in a world still learning to embrace diversity and equal opportunity.

Born with arthrogryposis, a rare condition that limits the movement of joints and muscles, Nathaniel’s journey has defied nearly every prediction made about him.

Eighteen years later, he is not only living, but he is also leading.

“I always say I don’t see myself with a disability because I live a regular life. I still go out with my friends…I think sometimes I also enjoy myself more than a regular person,” he said with confidence.

That foundation of confidence was laid early, thanks in part to the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP), a government initiative designed to support young children with developmental challenges.

“While I was there [at ESP], it motivated me to do better…do my utmost best because the staff there really helped to shape who I am,” he reflected.

“It [ESP] really just helped me develop my motor skills and learn what methods worked best for me,” Nathaniel continued.

He recalled simple moments like eating sprat with classmates during the Easter period.

Nathaniel said that attending therapy sessions was a powerful building block of his early development.

“Being at physiotherapy really helped me maintain discipline too and I’m really grateful,” he said.

Raised by his mother, Yolanda Scarlett, a trained principal and his greatest champion, he was never treated as fragile.

“Even though he has a physical challenge, I treated him as a normal child,” she said.

“Whatever he showed interest in, I let him do it,” Scarlett said.

From the age of two, he was swimming. By four, he was playing the keyboard to strengthen his fingers. And when it came to school, Scarlett did not hesitate to make the hard decisions, like letting him repeat a grade to focus on mastering writing and more.

“Now, he writes better than most people I know,” she proudly added.

His early years at Jamaica College (JC) further solidified his independence.

“I wasn’t bullied or treated differently,” Nathaniel recounted.

He credits his success to discipline, a value instilled by his mother.

“Failing was not an option. She would always say, ‘What your foot can’t do, your brain has to do’. That’s what I live by,” Nathaniel said.

While academics kept him grounded, the sea gave him wings. His introduction to para-surfing came on a random Friday night in October 2021, when a representative from the International Surfing Association called and encouraged him to try. By Saturday morning, he was in the water.

“I didn’t even know there were waves in Jamaica to surf… and I didn’t know that people with special disability could surf,” he said.

Despite his physical challenges, Nathaniel found his rhythm in the water.

“I just lay down on the board, and anywhere I look, that’s where my body turns…The paddling is different because of my hands… otherwise, I think it is okay…I made it work,” he said.

Para-surfing opened new horizons and new countries. When he competed in California,United States, it was the first time he travelled to that state. Even better, he took his mother with him.

“It was always my dream to fly my mom to the US…to do that at 16 was a big thing for me,” Nathaniel said.

While he rides waves in the ocean, Nathaniel is also charting a new course in the tech world. Now a student at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica, he is pursuing a degree in cybersecurity.

His passion for technology is deeply personal.

“I like pulling things apart to see how they work…If you know how something fully operates, you can protect it,” he said.

Balancing school, sports, and regular engagements require serious structure and a no-nonsense mother.

“My mom is like a clock…She’s always on me to finish schoolwork before anything else…Failing is not an option,” he said.

Nathaniel’s influence also extends online, where he is known as ‘Kripx’. But the name isn’t just a username.

“Kripx isn’t just an online persona; it has a whole deeper meaning; it’s how I live day to day,” he explained.

Acting permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Dione Jennings, shares a warm greeting with former Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) student Nathaniel Bailey (left) during the graduation ceremony held on July 9 at the Apostolic Church of Jamaica, Bethel Temple, in downtown Kingston. Observing is State Minister in the ministry, Dr Norman Dunn. (Photo: JIS)

He uses social media to show what living freely looks like.

“I don’t really post motivational stuff…I just post living my life…interacting with everyone…I’ve seen more persons with disabilities come outside and embrace who they are since I have started to be myself on social media,” he said.

Nathaniel believes he is already seeing the positive shift as it relates to persons with disabilities coming out.

“I don’t know if they look to me as a beacon of hope, but I’ve definitely seen more young people like me step out and embrace themselves. That means the world to me,” he said.

He credits much of his confidence to his mother, “My mom made sure I knew I was different…So, nothing anybody says can hurt me,” he said.

His presence and impact have not gone unnoticed. He recently received the Prime Minister’s National Youth Award for Excellence in Sports, a moment he says was not just for him.

“This award is not just for me; it is for the people who believed in me, supported me, and for the people who motivated me,” he said, noting that, ‘if I can do it, so can you’.”

Nathaniel is hopeful about how Jamaica continues to evolve to support persons with disabilities. While he acknowledges that accessibility in some spaces, including roads and public buildings, still poses a challenge, he remains optimistic about progress.

He added that inclusion begins with education.

“People need to learn from young that people can be different. That should be part of what we teach,” he said.

Looking ahead, Nathaniel dreams of winning the World Para Surfing Championship, growing his business, and continuing his work as a motivator and advocate.

“I want to be a beacon of hope for persons with disabilities,” the teen said.

To young people with disabilities who may feel like their dreams are out of reach, his message is clear and powerful: “The only person stopping you is yourself. Your dreams are as far or as near as you make them. If it feels close, grab it. If it feels far, work until you reach it.”

And for parents of children with disabilities, his mother offers this advice: “Don’t be embarrassed…Your child is your child…given to you for a reason. Learn about your child…Build on what works…Pray over them. And love them fiercely.

“We’re nothing without God. Every day I put Nathaniel in His hands. I believe He sent him with purpose, and I give Him thanks for all He continues to do in his life,” she said.

Nathaniel may not have been expected to survive past his first week, but he has not only survived, he has soared.

From Kingston to California, from the classroom to the coastline, he is proving that with faith, family, and fearless determination, every wave is worth riding. And that in owning his difference, he is helping to change the national narrative on persons with disabilities.

— JIS News

Nathaniel Bailey shares a moment with his mother, Yolanda Scarlett.