LEO ON THE LOOSE: Variety Village’s charming prince of mischief

Article content

Dennis the Menace has nothing on Leonardo “Leo” Tarr.

Article content

Leo, 13, is Variety Village’s undisputed master of mayhem, and if you know the Village, that’s really saying something.

Article content

Article content

“I think he’s given me post traumatic stress disorder,” his mom, Cristine Maiera-Tarr, says, with a rueful smile.

Lucky for Leo, he has a SWAT team of guardian angels, including a fiercely loving family, a Labradoodle named Charlie, and Variety Village.

More on those in a sec. First, a couple of escapades thus far in Leo Tarr’s young life:

Leo lark #1. The Tarrs’ east end home is secured with myriad Leo-proof locks, but someone forgot a door one night and Leo slipped out and took a neighbour kid’s electric toy car for a joyride.

As his unsuspecting family slept in the early dawn, Leo cruised up Kingston Road in his mini coupe, aglow with the thrill of the open road. He was barely seven, though lack of a driver’s licence seems moot.

Article content

A good (and astonished) Samaritan steered the boy to a sidewalk, saw that he had Down syndrome, and called 911.

By the time cops reunited him with his frantic family, Leo was an honorary sergeant, carrying a new stuffed bear – with best wishes ringing in his ears and that Leo twinkle in his eyes.

Leo lark #2. While a visiting his mom’s family in Brazil last March, Leo was drawn to his grandma’s big bread knife. So much so that he stuffed it in his backpack for the flight home.

“Whose bag is this?” an officer demanded when the alarm went off at airport security in Sao Paulo.

Leo stepped forward, threw out his arms dramatically and declared, “Not mine!”

Well, by the time the family landed in Toronto, Leo had been made honorary co-pilot and got to wear the captain’s hat. The silver buttons matched that twinkle in his eyes.

Article content

Article content

Leo lark #3. On the Toronto Zoo’s Zoomobile, Leo watched in alarm as a very, very large man approached. When the guy laboriously boarded the cart, Leo yelped, “No, no! Too big, too big!”

The zoo’s hyenas may have laughed, but I know Leo’s eyes twinkled.

You get the idea. Leonardo Tarr is a world-class rascal. A loveable rogue.

You should also know that Leo has had 10 surgeries, including open-heart. He tells people the scars are from hockey. Also, he has been kicked out of two daycares. Not everyone appreciates his scampish charm.

Article content

Which brings us to Variety Village.

Leo first landed here this summer, trusty Toy Story dolls in hand, for day camps. The start was rocky, to say the least.

“He set off the alarm, like, three times,” says brother Sam, 9, with an air of wonder.

“I came home crying,” says their mom. “I was sure he was going to be kicked out again.”

But he wasn’t.

Village staff have seen it all. They kept Leo busy – and under close watch.

“They were ready for him,” says his mom. “They have so much love and patience.”

That goes double for his family.

“I’m sorry, but your son has Down syndrome,” the Vancouver delivery room doctor told Cristine and Ben Tarr.

A diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) followed. It often partners with Down syndrome.

Article content

“We had to grieve the usual idea of a perfect family and come around to the idea of our new perfect life,” says Cristine. “There’s no regret. Leo brings so much.”

His sister Emily, 16, needs a passcode to get into her room, lest Leo sneak in to wreak havoc with a science project, again.

Yet, she says:

“I wouldn’t change anything. I think I’m the person I am because of Leo. A better person. More empathetic.

“Leo really shapes the people he’s around. He brings them out and I think he’s done that for me.”

Even Charlie, the Labradoodle, has been shaped by Leo. He has learned to bark whenever the kid appears bent on mayhem.

And Charlie barks a lot.

northchannelmike@gmail.com

RECOMMENDED VIDEO

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Play Video

HOW TO HELP

Leo Tarr “can be who he is here,” says his mom. “I don’t have to make excuses for him, say sorry he’s so loud or whatever. They accept him and love him for who he is.

Article content

“And we know he’s safe.”

Leo swims, joins programs like the weekend teen brunch club and generally flits about Variety Village. It has been a refuge for thousands of kids with disabilities over the decades.

You can help keep it so, through my Sun Christmas Fund for Variety Village, which has raised $2 million in total and is closing on $200,000 already this season. The goal is $260,000 by New Year’s.

To help us get there, join these recent donors:

Gerry Belisle, Toronto, $75

Jason Sniderman, Toronto, $50

Emilie Newell, London, $20

Gezim Guni, Toronto, $25

Tracie Cavallo, Mississauga, $200, in memory of Kelly Alyeo

James Burns, Etobicoke, $50

Gordon Lawson, Toronto, $20

Elizabeth Ann Leach, Scarborough, $150

Jackie Mazur, Mississauga, $75

Article content

Usha Shifrer, Ajax, $50

Joyce May, Brampton, $250

Anne Marie Kraemer, Waterloo, $40

Wendy Strattten, Toronto, $250

Eric Sobel, North York, $36

Fraser McTavish, Markham, $100

Deanna Mizumo, Kleinburg, $5,000, in honour of Mike Strobel

Susanne Voss, Pickering, $100

Michael Savage, Toronto, $50

Ruth Ellen Bruce, Toronto, $500

Manchoor Award, Ajax, $100

Anonymous, York, $75

Vishal Magoon & VSAM Knowledge Solutions, Markham, $200

Diane Jackson, Pickering, $100

Robert Annid, Oakville, $100, in memory of Stan Imada

Donato Filardi, Toronto, $100

Maureen Moore & family, Toronto, $50

Daniel & Kim Martin, Scarborough, $200

Debra Doulaghsingh, Otonabee, $30

John Hawkins, Innisfil, $200

Emmanuel Sohanlal, Markham, $50

Article content

Ralph Paul, Scarborough, $200

Anonymous, High River, $100, in memory of Doug Creighton & George Gross

Anonymous, Toronto, $50

Buckingham Sports Properties Inc. staff Christmas lunch, Etobicoke, $1,155

Frank Wehrmann, Scarborough, $150, in memory of Toby Peroutka

Ted Hellyer, Scarborough, $50

Anonymous, Scarborough, $100

Brian Gray, Toronto, $200

Timothy Fryer, Scarborough, $200

Jeff Prue, Oshawa, $100, in honour of Bella & PJ Prue

Janet Nanos, Scarborough, $75

Giselle Romanino, Scarborough, $100, in honour of son Jacob

Lisa Giuliani, Scarborough, $30

Stan Dean, Oshawa, $100

Douglas Paterson, Markham, $100

Susan Viknanek, Whitby, $250

Sandra & Ron Hinchliff, Scarborough, $300

Renate Gittens, Mississauga, $100

Leila Refahi, North York, $136

Timothy Luet, Scarborough, $100

Leila Refahi, North York, $36

TOTAL TO DATE: $193,344

Article content