Chris Gajewski,
Barre, VT.
I was hurt eleven years ago due to me making the worst choice a person could make. I got behind the wheel of a car one too many times while being intoxicated. After learning to walk and live again, I slowly began to repair my broken life. I clawed my way out of debt, got back to work on a part-time basis, started my collegiate career, and now I am a mere six months from having my own little chunk of the American dream with a home of my own. Being disabled has made me more aware of my environment. When people see, or find out I am disabled they automatically assume I can’t do for myself. Worse than that it is hard to develop relationships with those people who I would like very much to.
For instance, women are very put off by my situation. I could count all the women who have been interested in me until they find out I was disabled on one hand… if I had twenty fingers on that hand. I have done for myself fairly well up to this point, so people shouldn’t be all fired up to help a “cripple” because they might just surprise you to the level of help they don’t actually need. Also, don’t take us at face value, there is much more than meets the eye.
