I’m sad to see him step down, but making him an ambassador is such a good move. I was able to meet him a few years ago at Dragoncon and he truly is a great ambassador for all that Nintendo stands for
My best friend of thirty years, Ailynn, came out as transgender to me in 2011, and it was at DragonCon where she got the chance to be her true self for longer than a day, and she really wanted to go back the following year, but she wasn’t able
She had moved back in with her parents, over a year before to save money for operations and the medications she needed, but because her parents wouldn’t accept who she was, for her mental health she quickly needed to get out of that situation.
Moving expenses kept her from going that year. I don’t think she has ever felt more accepted, than when she was in the middle of the madness that is DragonCon, so it really broke her heart when she realized she wasn’t going to be able to make it
One of the people she really wanted to meet was the voice of Mario himself, Charles Martinet, and she was disappointed she would not get that chance.
My friend and I came up with a plan, we both chipped in to surprise her with an autographed pictures, and that’s how i came to find myself fighting through the madness that is The Walk of Fame on Friday to get her his autograph.
As I slid the photo in front of Charles, he asked who the picture was for, I told him it was for my best friend, Ailynn, and then I felt a lump in my throat, light headed, as I told Charles her story, that she was transgender and that I know that playing Mario games had saved her life, gave her an escape, as she grew up in a body that seemed alien to her. My voice cracked as I thanked him for saving my friend
Without missing a beat Charles asked if he could sign it, „Super Princess Ailynn“, through tears I shook my head yes.
He then started to sign it, but as he signed he did commentary in Mario’s voice, as well as Luigi’s, it was fantastic, it was funny, it was what I needed to compose myself.
After he finished he asked me to give her a great big hug and to tell her to stay strong and to know that she had the entire Mushroom Kingdom cheering her on
I’m sad to see him step down, but making him an ambassador is such a good move. I was able to meet him a few years ago at Dragoncon and he truly is a great ambassador for all that Nintendo stands for