Forest Grove High School Senior Diego Paniagua Pursues Broadcasting Dream Despite Blindness and Autism
Forest Grove High School senior Diego Paniagua, who is blind and autistic, has realized his dream of broadcasting by becoming the public address announcer for the Vikings girls soccer team. Paniagua was inspired by listening to the radio growing up and enjoys pumping up the crowd. His mother, Karen Paniagua, notes that despite the challenges associated with his disabilities, Diego approaches life with fervor and is not deterred from pursuing his interests. The family, including Diego's father Ben Pizano, learned to navigate the complexities of raising a blind child with support from a program in Hillsboro and medical professionals. They have actively exposed Diego to various experiences, including travel, music, and learning new languages like French, emphasizing that his blindness does not limit his capabilities.
