Award-winning singer with dyslexia lends support to struggling Moncton students

Marc Jordan may have written songs for Rod Stewart, Bonnie Raitt and other stars, but Thursday night the singer-songwriter will performin Monctoninsupport of 16 students with learning disabilities who attendRiverbend Community School.

Jordan himself has dyslexia, and when he revealed his struggles in 2015, he was amazed at the response.

When she hears his music now and it connects that he has dyslexia, you can see it in her expression that she senses that he's like her, she's like him.- Michael O'Pray

"I got people calling me or emailing me, and it helped their kids, so that's why I do it."

Michael O'Pray of Moncton, who has been a fan of Jordan's for 30 years, invited him to do the fundraising show at the Tide and Bore.

Hesaid he was "blown away" he helearned the singerhe had been listening to for years had something in common with histeenage daughter Sophie.

Sophie, who is in Grade 8 at Riverbend Community School, also struggles with dyslexia.

"I think that's the story of a lot of people who have learning disabilities," O'Pray said, "They kind of keep it to themselves and come up with their own strategies."

He said Sophie now listens to Jordan's music a little differently.

"When she hears his music now and it connects that he has dyslexia, you can see it in her expression that she senses that he's like her, she's like him."

Not just a fundraising show

In his show, Jordan will tell his own story of finding success as a composer and performer in the music business despite his learning disability.

When you have someone like Marc Jordan who hears about a group of kids in little small-townMonctonand he's willing to fly in and do this thing for them it makes them feel like what they're going through matters andthat people are listening.- Riverbend Community School director Rebecca Halliday

Rebecca Halliday, the director of Riverbend Community School, said the importance of role models like Jordan to students who are struggling with learning disabilities cannot be underestimated.

"It really is that piece of hope that they must have," she said.

At Riverbend,Halliday said, students regularly add photos to the walls of famous peoplewho are dyslexicand have found success in their fields.

"[Students] need to have an anchor of people who they know have come out on the other side of this because they're in the thick of it right now," she said.

"So when they see that Walt Disney or Harrison Ford or Michael Jordan or Marc Jordan are these people who found ways to have successful lives it gives them hope."

O'Pray calls the opportunity for his daughter to attend Riverbend"a gift" and said it means a lot to him that the singer he has been listening to since he graduated from high school is now an example for his daughter.

"She wants to be a chefbut for her she thinks, 'Well, he wanted to be a singer and he's a singer.'"

The money raised by the fundraiser will go to purchase literacy and math programs for the private school.

"If we raise $1, it's more than Riverbend has right now,"O'Praysaid. "It's a break-even proposition, they try to pay the bills and keep the doors open and keep going so anything is a bonus."

Hallidaysaid the fact a parent has come forward to raise moneyfor the school and astar like Jordan is willing to perform is "humbling."

"When you have someone like Marc Jordan, who hears about a group of kids in little small-town Moncton, and he's willing to fly in and do this thing for them, it makes them feel like what they're going through matters andthat people are listening."