Disability Biography

In the depths of despair, contemplating suicide, I gazed out a rain-streaked window in Maryland, where blurred colors in a parking lot mirrored my shattered soul. The shame of being sexually abused haunted me with recurring nightmares and PTSD, leading to a life cloaked in a complex facade of military titles and untold secrets. In this powerful memoir, published poet and author Adam Volant shares his raw and inspiring testimony of overcoming unimaginable brokenness to achieve success.

Families who have supported a child with special needs will connect with this memoir about Sarah, a feisty girl with autism and a unique genetic blueprint. Her mom, Jenny, is equally feisty and determined, which leads her to make a commitment that dramatically changes her and Sarah’s lives—as well as those of many others.

The Magic Circle tells the story of what happens when Charmaine Chan's sister Elaine is diagnosed with a rare and aggressive cancer. As the illness progresses, family members living on different continents gather together during Elaine's last days. Striving to distract Elaine from the worst effects of the cancer, Charmaine takes to the pen: conjuring up the vanished world of their childhood in Singapore, and discovering a way to keep her promise to Elaine's six-year-old daughter.

I grew up believing that perfection was the only way to gain approval and feel safe. Every item in my room had to be aligned just right, every deadline met without fail, and every mistake felt like a personal failure. It wasn’t until adulthood that I realized these behaviors went far beyond simple neatness or discipline. They were signs of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)—an unyielding drive toward order and control that had slowly taken over my life.

Blind Vision is a fascinating account of a unique and inspiring career in open-water swimming. But more than that, it is a story for anyone that’s ever been told they can’t. James Pittar is living proof that no matter what the odds, with dedication, passion, and the right people around you, you can.

In 1959, at the age of 21, Max Starkloff was in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down. His doctors doubted he would live longer than a few days, and, if he survived, the hope for his quality of life would be minimal. How did this young man with barely a high school education become the leader of a powerful disability rights movement and the founder of the Starkloff Disability Institute? This is his remarkable story.

AUTISM UNLEASHED, GENIUS UNLEASHED celebrates the lives and achievements of 13 autistic visionaries, illuminating the profound contributions they have made in a variety of fields. These stories are not only a testament to their genius but also a beacon of hope and inspiration for anyone touched by autism.

When her son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, Irma Velasquez was devastated. It was the pre-internet era of the early 1990s, and both information and experts were hard to find. Desperate for answers, she sought out therapists and educational programs designed to teach Aaron how to become successful in school and in life. But those early years ended up teaching Irma more than they taught Aaron. Irma realized her desire to "fix" her son had been a masquerade to fulfill her own needs, and she began to love him just as he was: perfect.

A two-week vacation to the Florida Keys meant Mary and Jameson Sr. could share the beauty of their favorite turquoise-blue waters with their four children. On that serene day at Looe Key Reef, after they finished lunch on the boat, their oldest, ten-year-old Jameson Jr., was swimming among the marine life, capturing breathtaking footage of a sea turtle. Until a massive bull shark attacked.

In less than sixty days, published author and family chiropractor Kristi Hellenbrand would suddenly lose the ability to walk. The brightest doctors would not be able to figure out why. Part memoir, part research thesis, the author reveals with raw honesty her journey through Lyme Disease and the seemingly impossible passage to rediscovering wellness. In 2020, a sudden and mysterious illness - said to not exist in Georgia - took everything from her. This is the story of the deep, dark place where only grief takes you, but also the story of how she saves her own life.

In 2019, Greta Morgan was on the rise. She had toured with Vampire Weekend, collaborated with Jenny Lewis, and garnered critical acclaim with her own musical projects. But in March 2020, after contracting COVID-19, she was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder with no known cure that left her unable to sing. Her once crystalline voice now reduced to a hush, she saw her career come to an abrupt standstill.

My name is Joseph A. Peragine. I am a paranoid schizophrenic. On October 22, 2000, I tried to kill myself in a severely hallucinogenic state due to undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenia. I was suffering from this illness for many years leading up to that day. Every October since I started my recovery in 2000, I reflect on my life and am extremely thankful that I was fortunate enough to have been given a second chance.

Raymond Antrobus was first diagnosed as deaf at the age of six. He discovered he had missing sounds—bird calls, whistles, kettles, alarms. Teachers thought he was slow and disruptive, some didn’t believe he was deaf at all. The Quiet Ear tells the story of Antrobus’s upbringing at the intersection of race and disability. Growing up in East London to an English mother and Jamaican father, educated in both mainstream and deaf schooling systems, Antrobus explores the shame of miscommunication, the joy of finding community, and shines a light on deaf education.

L'inizio di questa storia è un incrocio nel bel mezzo di Tripoli, più che un incrocio, un'auto con un parabrezza rotto ferma a un incrocio dopo un incidente. A bordo della macchina un uomo e una donna, un padre e una madre, prima erano in tre, solo che la figlia poco più che neonata è stata sbalzata fuori dall'abitacolo e ha impattato contro un albero. Comincia così il racconto della vita di Nagla Augelli, bambina tunisina abbandonata dalla famiglia in un orfanotrofio della sua città, dopo che un incidente di auto l'ha resa paraplegica.

Tommy Jessop is a multi-award winning actor, theatre performer, and campaigner. Tommy has been at the vanguard of bringing awareness of the potential of people living with Down syndrome to the media, and to government. A Life Worth Living will be Tommy's story - from his journey into acting and campaigning while showing his unstoppable determination, charisma, and love for life.

Born with severe brain defects, Suzy was sentenced to a life of “nevers.” With the unwavering support of her mother, Jane, and extended family, Suzy’s miraculous journey has given many experts reason to question the medical textbooks that have been written. From predictions that she would never walk, talk, or function in society, Suzy overcame all these obstacles with determination and perseverance—not even allowing final-stage renal failure at the age of twenty-four to deter her.

Our aim with this narrative is to share our journey through the labyrinth of cancer treatment—the decisions we faced, the paths we chose, and, most importantly, the lessons we learned. We hope to offer guidance, support, and perhaps a sense of solidarity to others who find themselves on a similar journey. This is not your typical medical guide; it is a well-researched companion for every aspect of your cancer journey and a deeply personal account of battling cancer from the perspective of a spouse.

Operated on as an infant, without anesthesia, Wendy P. Williams began life at war with her body. There were tubes everywhere, in and out of every opening, her mother reminded her on every anniversary of her surgery. Autobiography of a Sea Creature takes listeners on Williams’ difficult sensory journey toward healing, as she communes along the way with horseshoe crabs, dolphins, and other marine life that taught her the restorative power of beauty, resilience, and interdependence.

Rachel Kolb was born profoundly deaf the same year that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed, and she grew up as part of the first generation of deaf people with legal rights to accessibility services. Still, from a young age, she contorted herself to expectations set by a world that prioritizes hearing people. Now in Articulate, Kolb blends personal narrative with cultural commentary to explore the different layers of deafness, language, and voice.

Do you want to live? That’s the question Scott Fedor was forced to confront after he suffered a catastrophic injury while diving into a lake. His life forever changed in seconds. Facing the darkest and most debilitating days that nearly cost him his life on several occasions, Scott was determined to rekindle his spirit, ultimately discovering that the boldest of pursuits come in all shapes and sizes. Head Strong is a gripping tale of determination, perseverance, incredible faith, and human triumph that proves we are stronger than we realize.