Jerry was a just a teenager when I first met him some thirty years ago. He had a full-head of hair, dark rimmed glasses, and he was wearing an open collar shirt. We both have somewhat less hair on our heads now.

He was born with a congenital condition which prevented normal growth of his bones, but that didn’t stop him from being like any other youngster. He used a wheelchair to navigate around the facilities of the summer camp where I met him. The slopes of the walkways didn’t slow him down much, but he did need me to help push his chair.

I had never had much contact with anyone in a wheelchair prior to meeting Jerry. I do remember a time when I was on a family camping trip out west when I was about seven or eight when I met another eight-year old who walked with the aid of crutches. He was very active, always wanting me to play with him around the big rocks at the campsite.

We’d play hide-and-seek or cops and robbers. He called me “C” because I had that letter on the cap I was wearing. I’m not sure why I remember that, but he was the first acquaintance I had met who had a disability, and little things at that young of an age tend to stay with me.

I was older when I met and got a chance to know Jerry. At that time I was serving as a counselor at the SIUC Touch of Nature, "Camp Little Giant" as we called it back then. I was a young adult and thought I knew everything already.

Getting to know Jerry and the others in our cabin in the woods was an eye-opener for someone like me. It made me aware of and sensitive to others in the world who go through life differently than me. It made me realize that we have to make accommodations if we are to include everyone into our lives.

One of Jerry’s friends who also was in our cabin with us was a young man named Bruce. He also had a disability and a wheelchair, but he preferred to use his crutches. Only when we went to the beach or down to the small craft area did Bruce use his “chair” and only because the slopes to these areas were more like small hills, too steep for someone using crutches.

I made contact with Jerry just recently and we talked about our days at camp so many years ago. Jerry said that he and Bruce stay in touch by “email” as Bruce has moved to North Carolina.

Modern technology has allowed the two disabled friends to stay in contact with each other with the click of a button on a computer mouse. Such are the times in which we live today. It is no wonder they have remained friends through the years. They have something in common besides a disability. They are both determined to live and be active on their own terms.

I gave Jerry my email address and told him to stay in contact with me. I hope to hear from him very soon.

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