Disability was a term in which my family has feared over many generations. That is because both my mother’s family and my father’s family have suffered from genetic depression that has cause fatal mental disabilities of many kinds. Because my family has suffered so much with the disease, most of my family members are in complete denial and refuse getting help because they do not want other people to know that they are living with a disability. But this story is of the exact opposite, this man has been wearing his disability on the outside and as had to learn to cope with it as best as he can. I was shocked when James O’Neal’s story came out into the public and made him a local super start. I have known him since I was very young because the Kingsgate Safeway was where my family did all of our grocery shopping. He was always very kind, and gave me and my sisters little candies every time we came to his cash register line.
James has always wanted to get rid of his tumors but never forced upon the situation. He attended school like any normal student and didn’t care whether or not kids accepted him or not. “I’ve always done whatever I wanted, not matter what. That’s just the way I felt. Everybody’s born different whether it shows or it doesn’t show.”
James O’Neal has suffered from neurofibromatosis ever since he was born. It is a genetic condition that makes the left side of his face swell by large tumors. This disease has left his face completely distorted and to many a face which is unrecognizable and scary. He has had previous surgeries before to remove the growing tumor, but after the age of 18 he was no longer able to afford treatment. A local shopper named Katie Knopf became very interested in his story and decided to help him in any way she could. She created a video with James and was planning on sending it out to Oprah Winfrey so that he could get immediate help with his very costly surgery. But no answer ever came and Katie decided to take a more personal an alternate route. “It finally hit me that I didn’t want Oprah to swoop in and save the day.” Said Knopf, of Bothell. I wanted it to be this community because he means so much.” The community raised over $110,000 dollars not including the donation Safeway made and other major companies who wanted to help.
Money is still being raised for James due to the costs of surgery and recovery, if you would like more information on the fundraising there is a link provided underneath he photo on the seattletimes.com web page I provided with information on how you can help James.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008016011_jamesoneal24m.html
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5 comments:
Wow, what an incredible story! I think about all the people who have disabilities and the way in which our society treats them I think about how we make such a big deal about not showing prejudice or discrimination against others but are still so free to discriminate those who are disable. Why? I wonder how many people have walked passed James and rather then making him feel loved; they made him feel unworthy, stupid, and ugly. You know you shared about how in your own family they have a disability and are still unable to come out and talk about it. I wonder if it’s because of how people with disabilities are treated in our nation. If we care so much about not hurting other races, we should do the same for those who in our eyes might seem “different.” We should treat them just the same as any other “normal person” is treated. We shouldn’t label them as weird but we should acknowledge them and treat them with value. It’s already so hard for people to come forward with the truth that they have a disability and we shouldn’t add too that by making fun of them.
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I completely agree that those with hidden disabilites try very hard to hide them becuase they know they will be treated differntly and will be forced to act upon it. Even within my own family (to us its obvious)depression is not talked about between aunts and uncles becuase they feel that they are then a lower class of people and are not worthy to live normal like those with out disabilties. Therefore they ignore the fact that they have problems and dont seek help when infact they really do need help.
This is a remarkable story! It is hard to live life when your conditions make you seem “disabled” in the public’s eyes. I am glad to hear Oprah or no one famous has decided to swoop in and take care of the finances. Whoever does decide to help this man I hope they do it out of kindness and not want any fame. I am glad to hear he has a strong character and will to take his difference aside and can live normally. Though people on the streets will probably give the second look and cold shoulder.
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I enjoyed reading your blog. It is such an uplifting story! In fact, I know the person, Katie Knopf. She goes to the church I belong to and her husband is a bishop at the church. They are nice people. I will talk to the guardian angel, Katie, about this story as I did not know this story.
I am so impressed with James O’Neal’s attitude about himself and his disability. He accepts how he is and is very active in the community. He is very positive and nice to other people. I think that his lifestyle and has brought him more happiness. He has received such great support it has made him a superstar! Actually, he already has been a superstar to live the way he has been for so long.
I understand that to live with disabilities is not easy at all, yet other people are more likely to help these people when they try to do their best. Other people learn a lot of things from these people as well.
I understand your family situation about disability because some of my father’s family members suffered from genetic depression and other kind of mental disability. In most of these cases, other people can’t see these disabilities unless they let other people know, just like my younger child has done with autism. His disability is not severe as he has high functioning autism. This is very tricky because it is hard for people tell that he has autism, so people tend to misunderstand him. So often, I explain to people about his disability, although I was uncomfortable to do this in the past.
People with disabilities and their family have different challenges than other people have, but the story about James O’Neal helps me for raising a child with disability. I will try to go shopping at the Kingsgate Safeway to meet the amazing guy sometime. You are nice!
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I am really sorry to hear that. You know we shop at this Safeway all the time and run across James. He has come long ways and he is a very nice person.
I remember shopping there before and thinking to myself,, this man is really brave and he is not afraid to face the world so is there any thing we can do to help him? And then that question would stay in my mind. But finally I see the light for him and wish him best of luck!
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