Age: 16
Age at T1D diagnosis: 8

Tyler is an active 16-year-old who doesn’t let T1D slow him down. He recently completed his sophomore year of high school, receiving an academic letter and lettering in three sports over the past two years. Tyler’s favorite sport is soccer, and he has learned to manage and monitor his T1D during practices and games so he can perform at his highest level. As he approaches the end of high school, Tyler would like to pursue a career as a dentist or a physical therapist.

Tyler was diagnosed five days after his eighth birthday and spent three days in the hospital while he and his family learned how to help him live a “normal” kid lifestyle. While he may not enjoy having T1D, he has taken an active role in his diabetes care from the beginning—giving himself insulin shots about two weeks after diagnosis. “I like when I can be an example to other kids in my community about how to live a full and active life with type 1 diabetes.”