Disability Memoir

On paper, Coach Rob Mendez sounds like any other football coach on any other field across America: passionate, authoritative, knowledgeable. But he’s unlike any other coach you know - in fact, he’s probably unlike any other person you know. Born with an extraordinarily rare condition called tetra-Amelia syndrome, Rob has no arms or legs. He moves with the assistance of a custom-made, motorized wheelchair that he operates with his back and shoulders.

A puddle of water on a highway changed Dinesh Palipana's life forever. Halfway through medical school, Dinesh was involved in a catastrophic car accident that caused a cervical spinal cord injury. After his accident, his strength and determination saw him return to complete medical school—now with quadriplegia. Dinesh was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland, and the second person with quadriplegia to graduate medical school in Australia. Despite all of the pain and hardship he's faced, Dinesh now sees his accident as a turning point for the better in his life.

Max Toper isn't normal. His teacher segregates him at the back of the class, away from his peers. Other children make friends, yet he can't. He's told he has autism, a condition that seems to bring disaster after disaster, with no chance of achievement. But not all is hopeless. Change comes when he discovers his calling as a guild leader in the virtual world of Galactic Conquest, a place where he is respected and powerful. But can the digital world stop reality seeping in, or prevent him from addressing his demons?

See how, throughout her life, she became a believer, and even with Kerry and Kaylynn's love and support, she had to find the strength elsewhere to get up each and every day to be the best mom she could be for Austin. Listen to how still, to this day, she struggles with negative emotions and guilt and needs to be reminded often that God is in control, and he will never forsake her, even when she feels she is alone.

An insider history of the Blind Boys of Alabama, the longest running group in American music, and the untold story of their world, written with band members and key musical colleagues. The Blind Boys of Alabama are the quintessential Gospel vocal group, and the longest-running musical...

Blind War by Tamer Zaid is a compelling autobiography that recounts the author's journey through adversity as a blind Palestinian navigating life in America. It chronicles his battles with internal and external conflicts, from health challenges like leukemia and blindness to cultural identity struggles and societal expectations. Tamer's story is one of resilience, self-discovery, and finding strength amidst chaos. It highlights the unwavering support of family, the resilience of the human spirit, and the power of faith and determination to overcome life's most daunting obstacles.

As two siblings, we were walking toward the light. In our mind's eye, it shined brightly, that green light of hope, as multiple sclerosis greatly impacted our lives. We accepted help along the way but not as a sign of defeat. A disabled person is seen as a burden and unfortunately is treated as such. The world doesn't have the patience or understanding of the tremendous struggle one bears living in a world not meant for frailty. This has been a journey of many decades. MS can lead to other health challenges that are formidable in and of themselves, like JC virus or PML.

When Bryan Silman was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer, hospice gave him two weeks to live. What followed defied every medical prediction—and became a story no one saw coming. I Am Warrior is the true account of one man’s refusal to die. Written in collaboration with Misty McConnel and Maryam Farooq, this powerful narrative blends raw memoir, emotional psychology, and lived philosophy.

"Ich bin einer derer, die die Jahreskarte gezogen haben. Wenn ich abrutsche oder hochfliege, dann für eine lange Zeit. Dann bin ich nicht mehr zu halten, ob im Flug oder im Fall." Die fesselnde Chronik einer manisch-depressiven Erkrankung: ein autobiografisch radikales Werk von höchster literarischer Kraft.

Eight Fingers and Eight Toes: Accepting Life's Challenges is a story of the power of a mother's love for her children and her journey of self-love. It is a story of struggles and learning to accept and overcome challenges. One takes a front row seat as the author learns answers to questions asked decades ago that result in part from the family being the first ever to have their entire genome sequenced.

Published in 1996, Life as We Know It introduced Jamie Bérubé to the world as a sweet, bright, gregarious little boy who loves The Beatles, pizza, and making lists. At four he is like many young people his age, but his Down syndrome leads most people to see him only in terms of his disability. Twenty years later Michael Bérubé chronicles his son's growth and his growing love of the world, writing as both a disability studies scholar and as a father.

Adversity Builds Character is the story of a young man's life struggles to find his way through the trials and tribulations of family turmoil, self-determination, and personal judgment. This transformational life experience, like so many, demonstrates the triumph of the human spirit over the pitfalls in our modern world. From a divorce wrecked family life through the upheavals of a shattered home brought on by a disease-ridden single mom, Thomas Ufert is blessed with the first of many second chances granted to him by his Godmother and her family.

This moving memoir shares the true story of a doctor who survived both cancer and a spinal cord injury—and discovered hope, resilience, and healing beyond unimaginable pain. The Second Chance in Life is an inspirational audiobook about overcoming adversity, rediscovering purpose, and embracing transformation in the face of life’s greatest challenges.

In this fascinating historical adventure, broadcaster and author Selina Mills takes us on a journey through the history of blindness in Western Culture to discover that blindness is not so dark after all. Inspired by her own experience of losing her sight as she forged a successful journalistic career, Life Unseen takes us through a personal and unsentimental historical quest through the lives, stories and achievements of blind people—as well as those sighted people who sought to patronize, demonize and fix them.

Vier Jahre lang schien die Welt um mich herum weiterzulaufen, während ich in einer unsichtbaren Blase gefangen war. Von lähmender Angst, tiefer Unsicherheit und sozialer Isolation geprägt, verließ ich kaum das Haus und kämpfte täglich gegen meine innere Stimme, die mich immer wieder zurückzog. Dieses Buch erzählt offen und ehrlich von meiner persönlichen Reise durch die Dunkelheit einer schweren psychischen Erkrankung. Es beschreibt den Schmerz des Alleinseins, die Verzweiflung, die Frage nach der eigenen Stärke – und vor allem den unerschütterlichen Willen zur Veränderung.

After a catastrophic ski accident left him permanently paralyzed from the waist down, Jason not only had to relearn basic tasks like dressing and bathing but also had to wrestle with the harder questions: why do bad things happen? If God is good and powerful, why does he allow suffering? And how does one cope with suffering, which in one way or another visits us all?

My neurologist stunned me when she said, “You have multiple sclerosis, and looking at your MRI, you are a walking time bomb. You may not have symptoms today, but it’s just a matter of time.” As the MS tightened its grip on my body, I plunged deep into a myriad of strange feelings—denial and depression for over a year.

In October of 2008, I was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga, TN, after a head-on collision with an SUV while riding a motorcycle. When I woke up, I was told I would never walk again or have full use of my hands. Seventy-eight screws, 13 plates, 25 units of blood, and more than 400 stitches and staples later, I became very familiar with physical pain and haven’t had a pain-free day since. That physical battle was harder than I could even begin to explain, but it doesn’t really come close to the one that I went through inside of myself over the years that followed.

Growing Up Disabled in Australia is the fifth book in the highly acclaimed, best-selling Growing Up series. It includes interviews with prominent Australians such as Senator Jordon Steele-John and Paralympian Isis Holt.

Autism: The Fight Inside is an audiobook made to educate young men and young women of the dangers that form from gangs. It was made to help young people make better choices with their lives.