HAVERHILL — Now that Wayne McMahon has overcome a form of dyslexia and learned to read, he can certainly spell the word "quit."
The Q word, however, is not part of his vocabulary.
"Wayne is the original plugger," said Anne Powell, who guided him through two years of intense, one-on-one instruction at the public library.
McMahon, 39, a native of Jamaica, came to the United States in 1996 and now lives on North Avenue. He managed to graduate from high school in Jamaica and was able to make a living fixing cars.
"I was good with my hands," he said.
He could not read a newspaper or a book, however.
"I would get frustrated" after getting through a few paragraphs, he said. Powell said he was unable to spell words such as bib, tan, fresh, jam or shed when she evaluated him two years ago.
Today, after tutoring sessions twice a week, McMahon can read.
"I read a lot of books about God," said McMahon, who is studying to become a Jehovah's Witness. Reading the Bible is a very important part of that effort, he said.
"Studying about God is an everyday thing," he said, and he's convinced the Bible offers answers to all problems.
Powell, coordinator of the Greater Haverhill Adult Education program, boasts about McMahon as a poster child of sorts for the library's program. She and other instructors encourage other adults who have literacy problems to consider the program and not feel embarrassment.
The program can be reached at 978-373-1586, ext. 623. Tutoring takes place at the library. Powell said there is about a six-month wait to get enrolled in the program. Volunteers do much of the instruction. Other opportunities for literacy help are available at Community Action Inc. on Locust Street at 978-373-1971.
Now that he is able to read, McMahon said he hopes to further his education. He has his eye on attending ITT Technical Institute in Woburn.
While he has plenty of experience as an auto mechanic — he did a brake job for Powell and refused to accept any payment — he aspires to study computer technology.
He works as a collator operator for Diversified Business Systems, a job he has had since 2000.
Powell said McMahon has a moderate form of dyslexia, a disability that makes it difficult for a person to read. The most effective way to overcome it is with tutoring, she said.
Asked what the key is for overcoming reading difficulty, McMahon said it all comes down to determination.
"You have to want it," he said. "Seeing yourself through to the end is what it takes. You have to say, 'I have to do this class.'"
During his tutoring, there were times when McMahon was working two jobs: His position at DBS, plus fixing cars. He still attended his reading sessions, however.
McMahon's newfound reading skill helped him in another way. Last summer, he took the oath to become a United States citizen. In order to achieve this, he had to pass the citizenship test.
"It opened up a very big door," he said of the gift of literacy. "I can get there."
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