Diagnosed with a neurological disorder from an early age, Everett Knapik discovers talent for music, singing and performance
RIVERVIEW — Taking something he loved, along with the encouragement from his family, was all that Everett Knapik needed.
Knapik, who recently graduated from Gabriel Richard High School in Riverview, took his passion for music and singing and landed a role with the Detroit Opera Youth Chorus.
At a young age, Knapik was diagnosed with apraxia, a neurological disorder that causes difficulty with motor planning that affected his speech, and was in a therapy program to learn how to speak; one of the components of the program was music therapy.
“My parents taught me sign language, so I was able to communicate,” he said. “Music therapy was a part of the programs I was enrolled in. My grandpa would take me each week, and I loved learning rhythm and songs, and learning about all the different instruments.”
His father, Andrew Knapik, said he and his wife, Brandy, noted that even at a young age, Everett was always his own person, and usually kept to himself. “When he started at Gabriel Richard Catholic, we encouraged him to try new things,” he said.
As a student there, Everett Knapik became involved in theater. He worked as a crew member for the school’s theater program, and “it was there that they (and we) realized that he could sing,” his dad recalled. “For the fall show, he was simply a member of the ensemble, and when it came time for the spring show auditions, he landed one of the lead roles.”
His talent on stage came as a complete surprise to his parents, members of St. Vincent Pallotti in Wyandotte: “We had never heard him sing before that show,” Andrew Knapik said. “We knew immediately that this was what he wanted to do.” As a result, his parents had him work with a voice coach during his junior year.
Last year, Everett Knapik heard about the audition opportunity for the Detroit Opera Youth Chorus from a family member, and his vocal coach also encouraged him to try out.
With more effort and frequent practices, the work paid off, with the audition being held before a professional panel and pianist. His time on the youth chorus was a wonderful experience for Everett Knapik, though it would last only a year. “I was only involved in one year as I am a senior, with practice being held once or twice a week,” he said.
However, he continued to stay busy throughout the school year with more theater work. A self-taught pianist, he also played in the school’s spring concert.
“I sang and played piano, including Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Margaritaville.’ It was a new experience to have to sing and play at the same time and with an audience,” he recalled.
Brendan Johnson, dean of students at Gabriel Richard, said Everett, who has been in the school’s Thespian Guild for four years, found his niche with the theatre program.
“From his roles in school plays and his participation in the choir at weekly Mass, his musical talent was evidenced to our entire school community,” Johnson said. “Everett is a young man you just want to see do well. He is typically more quiet and reserved when not singing or performing, but when he steps into a role on stage or behind a mic to sing, he transforms … making it so great to see him in his element.”
This fall, Everett Knapik will be headed to Madonna University in Livonia to study acting.
Some of his previous roles include as an ancestor in “The Addams Family,” Prince Dauntless in “Once Upon a Mattress,” Seymour Krelborn in “Little Shop of Horrors,” the father in “Children of Eden,” the phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, and Mr. Krabs in “Spongebob the Musical.”
Everett Knapik noted that his faith has always been an important aspect of his life. “I enjoy the rituals of the Church and the songs associated with the different parts of the liturgical year,” he said. “I enjoy learning about the historical aspects of the Church, as well as the kindness and empathy being taught by Pope Francis.”
He also credits the love and support of his parents for who he is today.
“I wouldn’t be the person I am. I have autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, and other things that make me different from my peers in many ways,” Everett said.
“My parents never made me feel different, and have always allowed me to be myself. They support me no matter what,” he added, as does his sister, Logan, a student at Gabriel Richard, who is active in the theater as well.
Though his parents are admittedly not musically talented, there is a history of musical talent in his family.
“While I can keep a beat, my left and right brains do not work together musically," Andrew Knapik said. "My mother could sing, and she was a cantor and choir member for many years for Christ the Good Shepherd Parish in Lincoln Park, and was a part of the choir for the mass held by Pope John Paul II at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1987.”
His parents said "words cannot describe" how proud they are of Everett, and they look forward to what the future holds for their son.
