Friends for Life

Posted 22hrs ago
by Lorenzo Tiozzo

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by Lorenzo Tiozzo

All stories begin with a character who must find their way through a journey. Mine began when I was seven years old, as a hyperactive kid who didn’t understand what was happening around him. I started turning my neck to the left and making involuntary vocal noises. Worried, my parents began looking for a therapist who could explain. After years of constantly switching specialists because none could give us clarity, my father turned to the internet to search for possible conditions. I am from Venice, Italy, and at the time, there were very few specialists in my area. At age 13, we finally traveled to a specialized Tourette syndrome research center in Milan. There, we finally found our answer, and it changed everything.

During my middle and high school years, my tics escalated significantly, and I faced serious challenges attending class. I nearly dropped out of high school because I was too ashamed to tell anyone about my disorder, leading me to skip school frequently. The biggest mistake of my life was suppressing my tics and keeping my condition a secret from my classmates. Thanks to the support of my family and my hometown high school principal, I finally found the courage to open up and share my story. From that moment on, I felt like a completely different person. I promised myself I would never hide behind Tourette syndrome again.

I eventually chose to move to a boarding school an hour away from my hometown to give my parents more space. Living away from home gave me a taste of independence, which ultimately inspired me to study in the United States. I went on to graduate from the University of Florida. As soon as I arrived in the U.S., I contacted the Tourette Association of America, eventually becoming a Rising Leader Ambassador in 2025. I jumped into advocacy because it felt like the right way to share my experiences and help others dealing with the same challenges. I also created a short documentary for a college class, sharing my history through childhood videos my father had recorded.

Living with Tourette's is not easy, and it can be incredibly challenging at times. But the condition taught me how to accept adversity and the mistakes I made along the way. I can finally say that I am no longer ashamed of having Tourette syndrome. As I say in my documentary, it is not an enemy, but my friend for life.

I am always eager to meet others with Tourette's and hear their stories. I hope that people who live with this disorder will feel more accepted in the future, especially in school environments. I was constantly bullied at school and often felt isolated, but I have learned that the Tourette's community is a beautiful, deeply supportive network that is always there to help.

You can watch Loenzo's short documentory here

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