Boy, 9, rewarded for his care of disabled friend

David Cassar, nine, sat on the plush chair at the Palace, in Valletta as his friend Matthew Caruana affectionately patted his hair and laughed excitedly, oblivious to those formally gathered there.

David, of Cospicua, who attends his home town's St Francis primary school, was yesterday presented with the gold medal John XXIII Award for Kindness by President Guido de Marco.

He was chosen by the Peace Laboratory from numerous other recommendations, for the kindness he has shown Matthew, 10, from Ghaxaq.

Matthew suffers from a rare disability which prevents him from speaking clearly and has difficulty walking and communicating.

School teacher Teresa Farrugia and the headmistress, Sister Claudia Zammit, who nominated David for the award said he was always on the lookout for his friend Matthew.

"When I was still in Year 1, I didn't take much notice of Matthew, being the young boy that I was," David said in a mature voice which belied his tender age.

But each year their friendship got stronger and the two have become inseparable, spending their lunchbreak together drawing and inventing new games.

"Matthew loves to draw trucks. Sometimes we also organise races and I let him go first," he smiled.

Despite the time he spends with Matthew, David still has time for his other friends and his pastimes, which include reading funny stories in Maltese.

David was ecstatic to be awarded the prize and his big brown eyes shone as he opened the box to take another peek at the gold medal.

"I want to become a priest when I grow up so that I can help more people and most of all be close to God. Though I like school I prefer the time spent listening about God's parables when I go to MUSEUM classes," he said.

Matthew's parents, Alice and Angelo, said they had their mind at rest that their son was not being sidelined. On the contrary he had found a true friend who cared for him.

Prof. de Marco praised David and said that though most of today's children had all the material things they needed, from a mobile phone to a car, nothing compared to having a friend who listened and shared a burden.

"David, you have a long life ahead of you so keep the goodness that your parents have instilled in you," he said as David's parents Michael and Maria beamed proudly.

Meanwhile, Peace Lab director Fr Dionysius Mintoff said that Pope John Paul II's message was to give children a future of peace and he saw a future in David and his admirable traits.

Fr Mintoff praised David for realising the values of love which were more precious than gold and by doing so he had won the gold medal of kindness.