Malaysian Boy with Asperger’s Becomes Acclaimed Artist After Teacher Said He Was the ‘Worst’

February 24, 2017

After being told he was the “worst artist” by his art teacher, a boy from Malaysia defied all odds despite suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome.

Delwin Cheah was only 5-years-old when he was diagnosed with Asperger’s which affected his motor skills. He was only able to speak when he was 8-years-old.

According to Delwin’s father, they were worried about their son because he could not even say the words “daddy” or “mommy” but even then, they knew that there was something special about him. He said that Delwin would spend countless hours drawing on paper, so it gave him an opportunity to enter his world.

Mr. Cheah and his wife decided to enroll Delwin to an art school but things turned bad when they immediately received a call from the art teacher asking them to pick their son up. The teacher even branded Delwin as the “worst artist” and said that he had no potential.

Naturally, Cheah and his wife were both upset because they felt that the teacher didn’t give their son a fair chance. But giving up was not an option so they enrolled Delwin to another art school. It was veteran artist Teng Yin Teik who encouraged Delwin’s parents and said that their son’s drawings had “soul.”

Delwin has since received wide praise and recognition for his work, from setting records at the Malaysia Book of Records to being named the World’s Youngest Savant Artist by the U.S. Record Setter.

The young and inspiring artist has also done solo art exhibitions and met celebrities like Michelle Yeoh who became his close friend, World of Buzz.

Delwin’s parent’s believe that more opportunities came after their son and Michelle met on the cooking and travel show in China hosted by Nicholas Tse, where his artwork served as the show’s backdrop. His parents said the two remained in contact since their first meeting in 2015. He fondly calls the actress his “my best buddy forever icon.”

In addition to the feathers on his cap, the young artist also caught the attention of Barack Obama and Queen Elizabeth who both sent him letters of recognition.

Similar to what Delwin’s father said, if you give someone a chance, they just might surprise you.

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