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Disability Awareness

National Interest
Trapped In Cement: Potomac Woman With Worsening ALS Feels Like Her Body’s Been Poured In Stone Trapped In Cement: Potomac Woman With Worsening ALS Feels Like Her Body’s Been Poured In Stone
Trapped In Cement: Potomac Woman With Worsening ALS Feels Like Her Body’s Been Poured In Stone Brooke Eby isn't ready to call "code red" just yet as she continues her battle with ALS as she approaches the "later stages" of the disease. The Potomac, MD native and Lehigh University graduate, who has been sharing her "dying diary" on social media, had some strong words in her latest update as she described the toll ALS continues to take on her body. In her latest post, Eby says she hates that she's paralyzed, and explained that it feels like someone poured cement over one foot, then the other, then her entire body. "It feels like the actual me is stuck inside the cement, desperately tr…

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by Zak Failla
Ashburn, VA
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Secret Virginia Singer's 'American Idol' Audition Is Major Tearjerker (WATCH) Secret Virginia Singer's 'American Idol' Audition Is Major Tearjerker (WATCH)
Secret Virginia Singer's 'American Idol' Audition Is Major Tearjerker (Watch) She had never performed in front of a crowd. She didn’t think she was good enough. Then she opened her mouth — and made it all the way to Hollywood. Nina Daig, 25, of Beaverdam in Virginia, stunned the judges on American Idol after performing a heartfelt original song called “Average Joe” — a tribute to her older brother, Joey, who was born with brain damage and has been her lifelong inspiration. “Sweaty, but great,” Daig joked before stepping into the audition. “You’re the first person I’ve sung in front of,” she added, stunning the judges. Her video package introduced viewers to Joey, wh…

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by Zak Failla
Atlantic City, NJ
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'Dream Come True': Atlantic City Amputee K9 Police Officer Throws First Pitch At Phillies Game 'Dream Come True': Atlantic City Amputee K9 Police Officer Throws First Pitch At Phillies Game
'Dream Come True': Atlantic City Amputee K9 Police Officer Throws First Pitch At Phillies Game New Jersey's first amputee to serve as a K9 police officer got a special call-up to the majors. Officer Michael Braxton Jr. with the Atlantic City Police Department threw out the first pitch at the Philadelphia Phillies game against the Washington Nationals on Saturday, Aug. 17. He patrols Atlantic City with his K9 partner Ryker. Braxton's lower left leg was amputated after an off-duty motorcycle crash in 2013 and he recovered enough to return to the police force. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Braxton Jr. (@ia…

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by Chris Spiker
Quincy, MA
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Blind Massachusetts Native 'Harnessing Sight' On Service Dogs & Disabilities Blind Massachusetts Native 'Harnessing Sight' On Service Dogs & Disabilities
Blind Massachusetts Native 'Harnessing Sight' On Service Dogs & Disabilities A visually-impaired Canton native is using her college experience with a service dog to spread corresponding education, disability awareness and diversity and inclusion.  Isabella "Bella" Scott said her dog O'Hara motivated her to attend class, go to the dining hall and get outside in general during her four years at Curry College.  “I'm such an introverted person that without O'Hara I probably would have sat in my room 24/7,” she said. “I would have just been overly isolated." Although, helping O'Hara focus on her training was incredibly challenging. “[People] see a dog and they automatic…

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by David Cifarelli
Hackensack, NJ
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WATCH: Blind, Autistic Teen Is 'True Inspiration' For Hackensack Gym Goers WATCH: Blind, Autistic Teen Is 'True Inspiration' For Hackensack Gym Goers
Watch: Blind, Autistic Teen Is 'True Inspiration' For Hackensack Gym Goers Bianca Angeli of Teaneck is blissfully unaware of how difficult she has it. The 19-year-old is blind, non-verbal and low-functioning on the autism spectrum.  Rarely without a smile, usually dancing and always working hard, Bianca's happy-go-lucky disposition has made her one of the most inspirational members of Retro Fitness in Hackensack. "Seeing what this girl is doing is humbling," said Bianca's trainer Esther Bock, who works with her twice a week with help from trainer Sophia Mirwis. "So many people have come up to me after seeing us work with her. They tell me about all the hard thi…

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by Cecilia Levine
Hackensack, NJ
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NFL Athlete Takes Dance Break With Disabled Woman In Maywood NFL Athlete Takes Dance Break With Disabled Woman In Maywood
NFL Athlete Takes Dance Break With Disabled Woman In Maywood MAYWOOD, N.J. — A former New York Giant is receiving praise from around the world after a video of him dancing with a wheelchair-bound woman at a Maywood gym went viral. While taking a break from leading a dance class at HackensackUMC Fitness and Wellness Center, Rashad Jennings grabbed Amanda Trott, a lifelong dancer born with Spina Bifida. Jennings -- who was hosting a special event at Route 17 gym powered by the New York Giants that night -- gave Trott a spin before salsa dancing with her. The video, posted by Jennings on Instagram, has more than 100,000 views and hundreds of comments p…

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by Cecilia Levine