Joe Petraro has accomplished a lot in his 11 years. The boy from Hewlett, New York, has already kicked up a black belt in karate, written his own books, and earned many awards. And he did it all while speeding through high school years early and starting college!
Joe does all this with an invisible disability. People can see if someone uses a wheelchair or a hearing aid, but having an invisible disability means dealing with a challenge that others aren’t aware of.
Joe has Tourette’s syndrome, a disorder of movements — called tics — that can affect speech and motor skills. A person with Tourette’s may suddenly start moving a part of their body or making a sound. Joe told News-O-Matic that the hardest part of having Tourette’s is “masking it,” or hiding his tics when other people are around. Joe said doing this “feels like holding in a sneeze” and makes him very tired.
Joe attended school with other kids for a while, but it soon became clear that this wasn’t the best fit for him. Joe experienced bullying when kids made fun of his tics and didn’t include him, and in class, he learned at a faster rate than the other students. So, Joe switched to an online school where he could work at his own pace. “Schools treat everybody the same, thinking they’re all going to learn one way,” explained Joe, “but that’s not true.”
Joe skipped grades and took tests that showed he was ready for high school. After he finished high school in 2024, he enrolled in online courses at Louisiana State University (LSU). Joe — who will turn 12 at the end of March — studies sports management and works for inclusivity in sports.
“I want everybody to be included,” said Joe. In 2024, he started a basketball league that anyone can join. “Doesn’t matter if you’re in a wheelchair, if you’re on crutches, if you have Tourette’s… it’s for everybody,” explained Joe, who also plays in the league. Joe also wants to make sure sports focus on physical fitness, wellness, and . “I feel like the purpose of sports is to have fun and be healthy,” the young college student added.
Joe plays tennis, golf, and baseball as well. He also likes to build robots, play video games, participate in Scouting America, and hang out with friends his age. At school, though, Joe does the same work as adult college students. “Joe’s work was no different in quality,” said Olga Khokhryakova, an LSU instructor who teaches about “the role, duties, responsibilities, and nature of work in the sport .”
“Joe is such an inspiring student,” Khokhryakova commented. “It is clear that Joe cares deeply about addressing social issues in sport and through sport.” She added, “I am very excited to see how Joe grows and makes the world better one day at a time.”
By Diana Richard
Updated March 11, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
