Member Profile: Elliot Arthur Gamperl

Member Name:  Elliot Arthur Gamperl

Member Since: 2023

Resides in: Whitefish Bay

Family: Dad Rob, Mom Ann Marie, Brother August (10), Sister Willa (5), and Ben the dog (14) 

Age: 8

Occupation: 2nd Grade Student at Richards Elementary

Hobbies: School of Rock (guitar and vocals), Cub Scouts

Favorite Subject: Math and PE when we play dodgeball 

Favorite Food: Chicken fingers, seaweed, and bananas

Favorite Part About the MAC: Golfing simulator and the great view of the city from the rooftop

Elliott Gamperl is such a unique kid, he’s earned his own feature spot on the MAC blog. He’s on a mission to teach people about a genetic disorder he has called Albinism. It affects 1 in every 18,000 people in the United States. 

A few facts about albinism, as explained by Elliot and his experience:

“Kids at school ask why my hair, eyebrows and eyelashes are white, so then I have to go into a long explanation about what albinism is.”

“I wear a lot of sunscreen because my skin is so light and I’ve never gotten a sunburn.”

“Sometimes my eyes move back and forth fast and I need my own iPad at school to see things up close.” (But sometimes he just grabs it and pretends he’s using it to check the time)

“My eyes are sensitive to the light, but can change color depending on the lighting in the room.”

“If you have albinism, you can get the fast pass for free at many of the different theme parks like Disney World so you can skip all the lines!”

He is currently working with his mom to create a website to inform people about topics near and dear to his heart and to spread awareness for albinism. 

Elliot and his family became members earlier this year. In addition to dining on the rooftop, he’s been swimming a lot with his sister Willa and perfecting a technique that he calls the squid. 

Through Cub Scouts last year, he sold over $1,000 worth of popcorn. Next year, he’s trying to sell even more to win an award. He has his heart set on a drone. 

Elliot has been into music since a very early age and has never been one to shy away from the spotlight. He’s already seen Ed Sheeran and The Lumineers in concert, but currently, his favorite band is Nirvana. Since he started attending Shorewood’s School of Rock, he’s only into rock. He mainly works on vocals, but also plays the guitar. When I asked if he ever has stage fright, he said “I just take a step back and take a deep breath.” I gave him a microphone so I could record our conversation, so he obliged when I asked him to sing a bit for me. He got through the first verse of “Come as You Are,” and then said “Okay, let’s get back to the questions.” This is the first time he’s been interviewed about his life. He was excited, but I also bribed him with Coca-Cola and chicken fingers. 

As for the future, Elliot is sure he’ll have a few different careers, starting with a soccer star and a YouTube sensation. Then, he’ll set his sights on acting and directing, before mastering singing, specifying: “I’m going to be a solo act. All rock.”