Lucky

October 8, 2014 • Posted in blindness, guide dogs, questions kids ask, Seeing Eye dogs, Uncategorized, visiting schools by

It’s “Disability Awareness Week” at Wilmot Elementary School in Deerfield, Illinois, and the kids there had already enjoyed a special guest before I showed up there with Whitney yesterday. Melissa Stockwell, a three-time Paratriathlon World Champion and decorated U.S. Army veteran, had been at Wilmot the day before us.

Melissa was serving in Baghdad in 2004 when a roadside bomb hit the HUMVEE she was traveling in, resulting in the amputation of her left leg above the knee. She was the first female to lose a limb in active combat, and four years later, she was the first Iraqi War veteran to qualify for the Paralympics: she represented the United States on the swim team.

After Beijing, Melissa took to triathlons. She is currently a three-time World Champion, and When she isn’t running, swimming or bicycling, she works as a certified
prosthetist at Scheck and Siress Prosthetics in Chicago, fitting people who have had amputations with artificial limbs.

Whit's always up for a class visit.

Whit’s always up for a class visit.

When my talks at Wilmot were over yesterday, I took Whitney’s harness off and let any of the interested kids come by and pet her. As Whitney flipped over and over again
for belly rubs, one of the school volunteers there told me that after the presentation the day before, Melissa Stockwell had the kids come up and touch the prosthetics she works with.

“Wow! I want to go to this school!” I exclaimed to the gaggle of kids petting Whitney. “I know,” one of them said.

“We’re lucky.”

Katherine Zartman On October 8, 2014 at 10:11 pm

Beth does such a wonderful job turning her disability into a full life work!

Monna Ray On October 9, 2014 at 10:45 am

Deerfield is one of the suburbs I know, I will send this to friends there, they might like to see this message from my memoir writing teacher. Monna

Sheila A. Donovan On October 9, 2014 at 11:20 am

Have you been to any inner-city schools?

bethfinke On October 9, 2014 at 11:29 am

Yes, many. Hendricks, Oglesby, Faraday, Eli Whitney, Drummond and

Wm. Claude Reavis Elementary School come to mind…

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beckylpcbecky On October 10, 2014 at 8:25 am

Lovely. Thanks for sharing. When we get the opportunity to connect and have that hands on experience – so powerful.

Annelore Chapin On October 10, 2014 at 6:04 pm

It is amazing how you share your talents, all of us are lucky!!! Annelore

bethfinke On October 10, 2014 at 8:06 pm

Aw, shucks. Same could be said of all the writers in that Wednesday class at the Cultural Center, doncha think? THANKS for the sweet comment, Annalore.

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Judy Spock On October 11, 2014 at 8:15 pm

It seems being ŒLucky¹ is feeling lucky! We each get to feel that, (i.e. ŒŠfigure it out¹Š.) for ourselves, I guessŠI like that some kids liked a school where everyone could flourishŠand that Whitney was fully enjoyed! (Not unlike our Memoirs group!) Thanks for that! xxoojudyspock

From: Safe & Sound blog Reply-To: Safe & Sound blog Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2014 00:59:09 +0000 To: Judith Spock Subject: [New post] Lucky

WordPress.com bethfinke posted: “It’s “Disability Awareness Week” at Wilmot Elementary School in Deerfield, Illinois, and the kids there had already enjoyed a special guest before I showed up there with Whitney yesterday. Melissa Stockwell, a three-time Paratriathlon World Champion and d”

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