“There are a lot of good advantages to being a dwarf. You can hop on the bar table and everyone will just kind of laugh at you. Not laugh at you-laugh with you. You get to have fun and be the life of the party sometimes,” said Jake Spruance, 21-year-old Flagler College senior.
According to the Little People Association of America, a little person is technically defined as being four feet or shorter and Spruance meets these requirements. October has been officially declared Dwarfism Awareness Month by the LPA.
Spruance explained that dwarfism is a genetic condition, with over 200 types. He has one of the most common types, achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is a bone growth disorder that results in shorter limbs, a larger head and regular size torso.
Spruance is able to attend events that are catered specifically to dwarves. He mentioned dwarf Olympics that he would regularly participate in and dwarf conventions that he used to attend annually in New York. “The dwarf conventions are where thousands of dwarves meet up and they party hard. Some of them find their soul mates, I’ve seen two or three proposals there,” said Spruance. “It’s a time and place for all of us to just be who we are and feel comfortable.”
“The only thing different is in the kitchen I have to put stuff lower for him. It’s just height stuff,” said Steve Distefano, Spruance’s roommate. “Other than that, Jake is just a normal person to me.”
Though Spruance is seen as a ‘normal’ person in the eyes of his friends, there are a few differences in his day to day life that set him apart. In the kitchen of his home, they keep a stool in the corner for Spruance to use to reach high up items, his car has specially designed pedals so his legs will reach and some furniture in the house is designed for comfort for a dwarf. “Every now and then I have to get a ladder, but sometimes that isn’t an option,” said Spruance. “Like today we went grocery shopping, and I had to jump up to get stuff off the top aisle.”
Spruance is used to overcoming obstacles, even some which are not the safest. “In high school and middle school I did the hardest sport probably for a little person, seven years of wrestling,” said Spruance.“Doctors will tell you any dwarf should not do it. It’s bad for our backs, legs and just too much physical requirements. They all frowned upon it but I loved it.”Despite the hardships Spruance has been through, he has persevered and encourages other people in his position to do the same.
“Most of us are independent. Some of us are doctors, some of us are lawyers. We work just as hard, sometimes even harder than average height person. and sometimes we still get a hard time. We deal with it and it makes us stronger,” said Spruance.