I attended the funeral of a former aide in our special education classes two weeks ago. John was just in his 40’s and not much older than my sons. He was paralyzed as a result of an accident in high school and continued to deal with the medical issues related to the accident.
John used a wheelchair to get around the school but drove a car and a Harley trike to travel. And travel he did. In most ways he was doing the same things that my sons were doing. He, like my youngest son Jason, had season tickets for the Philadelphia Eagles and they enjoyed the games and the time they spent at the games tail gating with their friends. John and Jason knew a lot about sports, and both were very good athletes in high school. They were both fun to be around and people were drawn to them. The girls loved them.
They both loved to travel and were always planning their next adventures. They both had dreams and worked hard to make their dreams become a reality. Unfortunately, although John completed his course work and was certified as a teacher, his medical issues kept him from becoming a full-time teacher. His medical conditions were the only barrier he couldn’t overcome. John would have been a very good teacher.
There were so many people that attended John’s viewing and there was a long wait to get up to see him and his family. The mood was sad and festive. So many people talking about John and things that they did with him. So many pictures of parties, family gatherings, Eagle’s games and vacations. So many items around the room that gave everyone a glimpse of what John did to enjoy life. John lived a full life and didn’t dwell on the barriers he dealt with and overcame. A lot of people will miss John.
Today I went shopping and was reminded of something that John would have been very vocal about. Something that I am very vocal about: cars parked in and too close to clearly marked handicapped parking spots. I pulled in just as a van was trying to park in one of those parking spaces. The driver had no choice but to park within inches of a car that was in the parking space that she needed, and she had to exit the van on the passenger’s side. Her daughter was in a wheelchair and there was barely enough room to get her out of the van.
I am sure that the driver that was partially parked in the spot she needed for her van would come out and be very upset that someone parked so close to the driver’s side of their car. They would probably start uttering negative comments about how rude the van driver was to make them have to use the passenger’s door to get into their car. Maybe they were an aggressive person and maybe they might feel justified in doing something to the van to show their displeasure.
As it worked out, I exited the store right behind the woman and her daughter as they were getting back into the van. The mother watched me push my cart to the passenger side of the car next to her van until I got to the next row and loaded up my car. I am pretty sure that she would have been very vocal about the situation if I was the driver of the car that made her life so difficult. The driver of the car probably came out later and drove away with no idea of the difficulty that was caused.
If I can have one wish, it would be that someone reads this and becomes more aware of why there are handicapped parking spots and why they should respect the reason and need for those spots. John, you are gone, but I will continue to try and educate people on the barriers that made your life more difficult. I will also remember how you would find a way to overcome every barrier that was put in your way. John, you are missed, but not forgotten.
Abilities Not Disabilities 