Finding Inspiration While Living with Cerebral Palsy
Living with cerebral palsy has taught me that inspiration isn’t something you find only in extraordinary moments. More often, it’s found in ordinary people who choose courage, kindness, and faith when life is difficult.
People often ask who inspires me the most, but I honestly can’t name just one person. Throughout my life, I’ve been inspired by many people, each leaving a lasting mark on my heart. They remind me that strength isn’t measured by how easy life is but by how we respond when life becomes hard.
As a teacher, I’m inspired by educators who are organized, compassionate, and never stop believing in their students. The best teachers don’t simply teach lessons—they change lives. Watching their dedication motivates me to become a better teacher every year and to continue advocating for students with disabilities and those who simply need someone to believe in them.
I’m inspired by people who refuse to let setbacks define them. During difficult seasons, I’ve watched friends lose jobs, face unexpected hardships, grieve loved ones, or battle illnesses. Instead of giving up, they adapted, found new opportunities, and continued moving forward. Their perseverance reminds me that while we can’t always choose our circumstances, we can choose our response.
One woman with cerebral palsy had an especially profound impact on my life. Like me, she navigated the world using a wheelchair. She became a teacher, later a college professor, married, adopted a daughter, and despite having a significant speech impairment, was crowned Ms. Wheelchair America. Watching her accomplish goals that many people thought impossible gave me the confidence to pursue my own dreams. Whenever I doubted myself, I remembered her example and thought, If she can do it, maybe I can too.
That mindset has carried me through many seasons of my own life.
It encouraged me to earn my teaching certification and spend years working with students. It gave me confidence to compete as Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania, advocate for accessibility, become a wife and mother, survive breast cancer, recover from vocal cord paralysis, travel with cerebral palsy, write hundreds of blog posts, and begin sharing my story through my memoir and speaking opportunities.
None of those accomplishments happened because life was easy. They happened because I was surrounded by people who believed in me long before I fully believed in myself.
My greatest inspirations, however, are found within my own family.
Watching Laura grow into a compassionate, hardworking young woman fills me with pride. She continually steps outside her comfort zone, works hard in college, and reminds me that perseverance produces growth.
Jason inspires me with his humor, creativity, kindness, and unique way of seeing the world. He has an incredible ability to make people smile and reminds me not to take life too seriously.
My husband, Jeff, inspires me through his quiet dedication to our family. My parents, siblings, and extended family have spent decades encouraging me to dream bigger than my disability. Their love has given me the confidence to keep reaching for goals that once seemed impossible.
Above all, my greatest inspiration comes from my faith.
Jesus and Mary have carried me through life’s greatest joys and deepest heartbreaks. During seasons of uncertainty, grief, illness, and disappointment, my faith has reminded me that I never walk alone. God’s plan isn’t always easy to understand, but I have learned to trust that He is working even when I cannot see the outcome.
Living with cerebral palsy has certainly presented challenges, but it has also introduced me to remarkable people whose resilience has shaped the person I am today.
Take a moment to look around your own life. Inspiration is everywhere. It may be the parent who never gives up, the teacher who changes lives, the friend who quietly overcomes adversity, or the person living with a disability who chooses hope every single day.
You don’t have to be famous to inspire someone. Sometimes simply choosing to keep going, to keep believing, and to keep loving despite life’s challenges is the greatest inspiration of all.
And remember—you may be someone’s inspiration without ever realizing it.
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