I just heard about a newspaper article that was run in several US papers. A tragedy occurred when a woman with muscular dystrophy, aged 49, was dropped off by a taxi to some meeting or event. The woman was wheelchair bound, needed a chinrest to support her head, and was on oxygen. She had her portable oxygen tank with her. She rode her power chair to the accessible door, and found it locked. The weather was freezing and the walks were iced over. Somehow the woman fell out of her wheelchair. She must have cried out for help, but no one heard her. She was found a couple of days later there on the sidewalk in the back of the building, frozen to death.

Now someone please tell me why this disabled woamn did not have some one with her that night. Why didn't some one know she was coming to the meeting and offer to meet her at the accessible door or on the street curb? Why did she not have, at least, a Cell Phone with her (maybe she couldn't punch in the numbers due to her MD)? Why did someone on the inside not miss her and go looking for her? Why didn't the taxi driver see her safely inside?

People with disabilities can be quite stubborn. I know, because "I R 1." We want to do things independently, and we are too proud to ask for help, or accept it when offered. But for heaven's sake, we should be wise about a few things.

Do me a favor, please. If you see someone alone with a disability, and certainly one in a wheelchair or scooter, please offer to help them. There are evil people who take advantage of the disabled all the time. There are barriers all around them. A locked door or even a heavy door can mean danger for someone such as this. I've been places where I could not get up a street curb or up a flight of stairs or down an escalator. I've been to a public bathroom that was not up to ADA code yet where I had to get on my hands and knees, crawl over to the sink, and pull myself up because there were no hand rails at the toilet.

I have seen a woman with obvious multiple sclerosis holding herself up by the grocery basket at the grocery store, doing her shopping. Now, how was she supposed to let go of the cart, bend down, and get that large can of pineapple from the bottom shelf? I don't go to the grocery store by myself anymore for this very reason.

Please, don't be afraid of the disabled. Just say hi, and tell us you are available to help if we need anything. Some people may answer you with a gruff reply, but many will gratefully accept your help.

Thank you so much.

-Donna (one of Jerry's kids)
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I just heard about a newspaper article that was run in several US papers. A tragedy occurred when a woman with muscular dystrophy, aged 49, was dropped off by a taxi to some meeting or event. The woam was wheelchair bound, needed a chinrest to support her head, and was on oxygen. She had her portable oxygen tank with her. She rode her power chair to the accessible door, and found it locked. The weather was freezing and the walks were iced over. Somehow the woman fell out of her wheelchair. She must have cried out for help, but no one heard her. She was found a couple of days later there on the sidewalk in the back of the building, frozen to death.

Now someone please tell me why this disabled woamn did not have some one with her that night. Why didn't some one know she was coming to the meeting and offer to meet her at the accessible door or on the street curb? Why did she not have, at least, a Cell Phone with her (maybe she couldn't punch in the numbers due to her MD)? Why did someone on the inside not miss her and go looking for her? Why didn't the taxi driver see her safely inside?

People with disabilities can be quite stubborn. I know, because "I R 1." We want to do things independently, and we are too proud to ask for help, or accept it when offered. But for heaven's sake, we should be wise about a few things.

Do me a favor, please. If you see someone alone with a disability, and certainly one in a wheelchair or scooter, please offer to help them. There are evil people who take advantage of the disabled all the time. There are barriers all around them. A locked door or even a heavy door can mean danger for someone such as this. I've been places where I could not get up a street curb or up a flight of stairs or down an escalator. I've been to a public bathroom that was not up to ADA code yet where I had to get on my hands and knees, crawl over to the sink, and pull myself up because there were no hand rails at the toilet.

I have seen a woman with obvious multiple sclerosis holding herself up by the grocery basket at the grocery store, doing her shopping. Now, how was she supposed to let go of the cart, bend down, and get that large can of pineapple from the bottom shelf? I don't go to the grocery store by myself anymore for this very reason.

Please, don't be afraid of the disabled. Just say hi, and tell us you are available to help if we need anything. Some people may answer you with a gruff reply, but many will gratefully accept your help.

Thank you so much.

-Donna (one of Jerry's kids)