Living Beyond Disability: Personal Stories from People with Disabilities

W.D. Foster

 

W.D. Foster is a former police officer and member of the United States National Guard. His injury occurred while exercising. He felt a sharp pain in his back and tried to shrug it off, but he collapsed as soon as he tried to stand up. W.D. was rushed to a local hospital where the doctor diagnosed him with muscle spasms. As the nurse was preparing him for discharge, she realized that he could barely walk. Nearly 10 hours after the injury, both of W.D.’s legs were paralyzed. The Mayo Clinic later confirmed that he experienced a spinal stroke.

 

W.D. lives just outside of Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife of more than 20 years. They have two children. His son is a senior at Auburn University, and his daughter works with the Birmingham police department.

 

More information about living with disabilities:

•CDC’s work in Disability and Health www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/index.html

•Lakeshore Foundation www.lakeshore.org

•United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=111

•CDC Video: Bernard Baker - “What’s Disability to Me?” www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/video/bernard/index.html

•CDC Feature Article: “People with Disabilities: Living Healthy” www.cdc.gov/Features/Disabilities/

•CDC Feature Article: “Twentieth Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)” www.cdc.gov/Features/ADAAnniversary/

 

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