By Sydney Reich<\/p>\n
All her life she
\nwas wheelchair bound. Her
\ndisability prohibited her
\nto walk independently, move graciously, and talk efficiently.
\nDay after day, she
\ntried to accomplish what was considered the
\nimpossible for her. She
\nfailed repetitively.
\nTrapped.
\nEverywhere she
\nwent people would stare at her,
\ntalk to her as if she
\nwas five years old, or
\ndisregard her as if she
\ndid not exist. She
\nyearned to be included, accepted, and loved,
\nbut she
\nwas not.
\nTrapped.
\nShe was determined
\nto change the world\u2019s stigmas on
\ndisabilities. She
\npurchased numerous devices to expand her
\nindependence. She
\nattended an university in which she
\nproved to her doubters that she
\ncould successfully
\nlive without her family,
\nin addition to earn scholarly grades and
\nbeing well acquainted
\nthroughout campus. She
\nmay be locked in a
\nbody prison, but she
\nis not
\ntrapped.
\nShe believed
\npeople\u2019s perception of
\ndisabilities leave them
\nno where, but
\ntrapped.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n