The Physically Challenged Are People, Too

People with disabilities are human beings with personalities like any one of us who are fortunate enough to

Have had a healthy deck handed to us in life. They are smart, friendly, warm, and independent people with

Often a deeper insight and appreciation of life. I would like to encourage readers to stop looking at them

As helpless individuals with lack of intelligence and opinions.

I dedicate this article to, Danielle S. the friend who touched my life and soul through my entire life.

Danielle had Muscular Dystrophy which is a disease that attacks the muscles. More commonly

Known to females to shrink and deteriorate all muscles as well as affect her immune system. The

Common cold can be very serious to this condition.

When I first met her in the 7 th grade I only saw a girl in an electric wheelchair. Know one talked to her and

my mistake of meeting her acquaintance was that I felt sorry for her. I was afraid she wouldn’t understand

me, but I said hello to her in a louder tone. She looked at me like I was stupid, and she was already

prepared for me to ask her all about her disability.

I wish instead I just introduced myself to her and made

friends with her like any other person.

I would have to say the friendship bond was easy for me as I did not feel judged by her . I didn’t come by friends easy at that age, often called the school nerd. So Danielle and I became the dynamic duo. We went

To the movies, the mall, carnivals, had wheel chair races, joked a lot, teased strangers, and most of all each other.

I found out real quick that

Danielle was very smart and sarcastic sense of humor. We created sayings from experiences we had. There was the time a crazy old man kept following us around the mall. He stop and say stuff like, “God bless you my child. Some day you will walk with the lord.” She told him that she knows

what walkings like from when she used to go in the shallow water with a tube. He wouldn’t stop following us, so we thought where can we ditch this guy? Off to see child’s play two at the theatre we went. After the

horror movie was over and everyone left; guess who was right behind us through the whole movie? Yep,

It was him, and he bowed down to her and said, “Bless You.” Danielle then showed him her middle finger and said exactly what rhymed with it. I jumped on her back chair bars, and we wooshed down the slanted isle laughing so hard. I hope you got the point, that she did not want anyone smothering her with pity.

I can’t go on forever with stories, so I’d like to insert this last one. Most of all because the experience

allowed me to know how life in the chair was like.

One day at the mall, I had another friend of ours sit Danielle in his lap. I sat on her electric wheelchair and tried to drive to the end of the mall. I thought how does she control this thing, as the joystick was so touchy. I kept bumping into people and the selling stands in the middle. I saw how people looked at me, and keep in mind I was an exceptionally skin and bones skinny boy. Everyone thought I belonged in that chair. I got the sad looks, the I don’t see you

there looks, the fake smiles, the mothers telling their kids not to stare, and for the first time not stopped by

A salesman. When I got to the other side it was so overwhelming that I did the one thing that Danielle

Couldn’t. I STOOD UP. I did not have the courage that she had, and the humor to ignore it. I’m

So sorry that I find this funny, but an old woman and her husband saw me stand up. The poor lady’s

Jaw dropped and her husband caught her. I felt so stupid that I jumped up and said, “It’s a miracle, I can walk.” To this day I don’t know what I should have said?

I got back in the hot seat and drove back to Danielle the fastest as possible. Security chased after me and I knocked everything down in my path. I made it back to her and the three of us darted out of there fast. I remember that what did you do look on her face.

Despite all I learned about her, I made a mistake I will regret forever. My father kept encouraging

That I distance myself from her because she was lucky to still be alive. Her statistic life expectancy

was around 23 and he was worried it would devastate me. We were so close Id lift her and put her to bed, and I took very good care of her when she needed me most. Danielle passed away on independence day on July 4 th 1998. The last two years of her life, I went to seeing her everyday to a few times a year. I started making some other friends finally was my excuse, but I guess what my dad said got to me. When I was called by her mother to go to the funeral I didn’t feel like I deserved that right. I went to her wake and was surprised to see that most of her pictures had me in them. All her family kept looking at them and staring at me.

Once again people I didn’t know, a lot of them, that same stare; at ME. It put me back in the chair again. I wanted so bad to stand up during the ceremony and tell everyone the priest was wrong. He spoke

About her as disabled, and though she was christian made her sound out to be over devoted. Everyone

Let the priest speak about her, was I the only one that knew her as a person? The only thing the priest said that warmed my heart to be true was that she was SPICE. I’m so sorry that I didn’t speak for her, but my dad was wrong. I was devastated!! I went to kiss her on the forehead and saw a picture locket around her neck. It was then her older sister told me that it was her only request. It was the special picture we took

Together with me holding her in my lap.

I cried so hard, and though I must have hurt her by being distant

the last two years, it was clear. I was the light in her eyes, her life. I am proud to have known Danielle,

And learned the true meaning of humanity. It wasn’t hers to teach for being disabled, it was hers to teach

because she had a soul just like all of us.

I hope you liked this story and will treat all physically challenged people with no more and no less respect

As anyone else. After all we are all challenged, life is challenging, and we can all rise above.