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Wheel Pad: Keeping Families Together | Julie Lineberger | TEDxHobokenWomen


[Music]
[Music] [Laughter]
it’s like we’ve got a lot of extreme
it’s like we’ve got a lot of extreme thinkers in this beautiful cinema anyone
thinkers in this beautiful cinema anyone
thinkers in this beautiful cinema anyone into extreme sports motocross
into extreme sports motocross
into extreme sports motocross snowboarding skiing anyone ever hear of
snowboarding skiing anyone ever hear of
snowboarding skiing anyone ever hear of simon dumont yeah well my godson reilly
simon dumont yeah well my godson reilly
simon dumont yeah well my godson reilly poor was a videographer how the skiing
poor was a videographer how the skiing
poor was a videographer how the skiing taking videos actually it was doing a
taking videos actually it was doing a
taking videos actually it was doing a documentary on simon dumont and then he
documentary on simon dumont and then he
documentary on simon dumont and then he got offered his dream job at Nike at
got offered his dream job at Nike at
got offered his dream job at Nike at that time Simon was competing in the X
that time Simon was competing in the X
that time Simon was competing in the X Games at Mount snow not snow is where my
Games at Mount snow not snow is where my
Games at Mount snow not snow is where my husband and I decided to start an
husband and I decided to start an
husband and I decided to start an architectural practice in a no stoplight
architectural practice in a no stoplight
architectural practice in a no stoplight town but we met before family so that
town but we met before family so that
town but we met before family so that night
night
night Simon won the X Games can you imagine
Simon won the X Games can you imagine
Simon won the X Games can you imagine the party we’re at Riley’s home mountain
the party we’re at Riley’s home mountain
the party we’re at Riley’s home mountain where he learned to ski when he was free
where he learned to ski when he was free
where he learned to ski when he was free Simon when the X game his new job at
Simon when the X game his new job at
Simon when the X game his new job at Nike and it was a huge celebration then
Nike and it was a huge celebration then
Nike and it was a huge celebration then it happened there was an accident in the
it happened there was an accident in the
it happened there was an accident in the pool to this day no one will say exactly
pool to this day no one will say exactly
pool to this day no one will say exactly what happened the outcome my rising star
what happened the outcome my rising star
what happened the outcome my rising star godson became quadriplegic four days
godson became quadriplegic four days
godson became quadriplegic four days before his 26th birthday for two weeks
before his 26th birthday for two weeks
before his 26th birthday for two weeks my husband and I had no idea what to do
my husband and I had no idea what to do
my husband and I had no idea what to do we were attending to Riley and his
we were attending to Riley and his
we were attending to Riley and his family and all we could do basically was
family and all we could do basically was
family and all we could do basically was show up I didn’t know what to do
show up I didn’t know what to do
show up I didn’t know what to do fast forward Riley went to rehab
fast forward Riley went to rehab
fast forward Riley went to rehab Riley actually moved to Portland Oregon
Riley actually moved to Portland Oregon
Riley actually moved to Portland Oregon because Nike honored their job offer
because Nike honored their job offer
because Nike honored their job offer with adaptive equipment he was doing his
with adaptive equipment he was doing his
with adaptive equipment he was doing his job but in Portland Oregon he was in a
job but in Portland Oregon he was in a
job but in Portland Oregon he was in a temporary hotel room accessible hotel
temporary hotel room accessible hotel
temporary hotel room accessible hotel room like most people when they go to a
room like most people when they go to a
room like most people when they go to a new job you know they get
new job you know they get
new job you know they get a little relocation but he could not
a little relocation but he could not
a little relocation but he could not find and looking all throughout Portland
find and looking all throughout Portland
find and looking all throughout Portland Oregon he could not find an accessible
Oregon he could not find an accessible
Oregon he could not find an accessible apartment where a caregiver could help
apartment where a caregiver could help
apartment where a caregiver could help him in the shower therefore he was in
him in the shower therefore he was in
him in the shower therefore he was in this hotel room for 8 months can you
this hotel room for 8 months can you
this hotel room for 8 months can you imagine your new life using a wheelchair
imagine your new life using a wheelchair
imagine your new life using a wheelchair that reality at 26 years old the nike
that reality at 26 years old the nike
that reality at 26 years old the nike van would pick him up take him to work
van would pick him up take him to work
van would pick him up take him to work he’s navigating his new reality in a
he’s navigating his new reality in a
he’s navigating his new reality in a wheelchair he comes home he’s friggin
wheelchair he comes home he’s friggin
wheelchair he comes home he’s friggin exhausted there’s no way he can go out
exhausted there’s no way he can go out
exhausted there’s no way he can go out to dinner drinks with family or friends
to dinner drinks with family or friends
to dinner drinks with family or friends he’s isolated they can’t come there to
he’s isolated they can’t come there to
he’s isolated they can’t come there to him in the hotel room it’s awful so I’m
him in the hotel room it’s awful so I’m
him in the hotel room it’s awful so I’m gonna lose my train of thought here cuz
gonna lose my train of thought here cuz
gonna lose my train of thought here cuz sometimes I get emotional telling the
sometimes I get emotional telling the
sometimes I get emotional telling the story so much later so again we didn’t
story so much later so again we didn’t
story so much later so again we didn’t know what to do we would simply show up
know what to do we would simply show up
know what to do we would simply show up and be there for Riley two years later
and be there for Riley two years later
and be there for Riley two years later Riley calls us up his godparents with an
Riley calls us up his godparents with an
Riley calls us up his godparents with an architectural firm hey I bought a house
architectural firm hey I bought a house
architectural firm hey I bought a house will you make it universally accessible
will you make it universally accessible
will you make it universally accessible for me
for me
for me finally we knew what to do it was by
finally we knew what to do it was by
finally we knew what to do it was by showing up in all these teeny teeny ways
showing up in all these teeny teeny ways
showing up in all these teeny teeny ways that we didn’t know what else to do that
that we didn’t know what else to do that
that we didn’t know what else to do that eventually we could figure out what it
eventually we could figure out what it
eventually we could figure out what it was we could do and while our
was we could do and while our
was we could do and while our architectural firm was making Riley’s
architectural firm was making Riley’s
architectural firm was making Riley’s house accessible I have a husband with
house accessible I have a husband with
house accessible I have a husband with who’s one of those creatives I make
who’s one of those creatives I make
who’s one of those creatives I make things happen but he’s the creative and
things happen but he’s the creative and
things happen but he’s the creative and he makes the impossible possible
he makes the impossible possible
he makes the impossible possible he said Riley what if there was an
he said Riley what if there was an
he said Riley what if there was an accessible bedroom and bathroom that we
accessible bedroom and bathroom that we
accessible bedroom and bathroom that we could have attached to your parents
could have attached to your parents
could have attached to your parents house and and then you could have been
house and and then you could have been
house and and then you could have been with family while you were figuring out
with family while you were figuring out
with family while you were figuring out your long-term solution Wow we were all
your long-term solution Wow we were all
your long-term solution Wow we were all sparking and then Riley Joseph and I
sparking and then Riley Joseph and I
sparking and then Riley Joseph and I showed up and we created a new company
showed up and we created a new company
showed up and we created a new company wheel pad wheel pad is a 200 square foot
wheel pad wheel pad is a 200 square foot
wheel pad wheel pad is a 200 square foot accessible bedroom and bathroom that can
accessible bedroom and bathroom that can
accessible bedroom and bathroom that can be attached to an existing home within a
be attached to an existing home within a
be attached to an existing home within a week so not only
week so not only
week so not only does it give privacy to the person with
does it give privacy to the person with
does it give privacy to the person with mobility issues but because there’s a
mobility issues but because there’s a
mobility issues but because there’s a ramp
ramp
ramp you know it’s attached through a back
you know it’s attached through a back
you know it’s attached through a back door or a window and then there’s a ramp
door or a window and then there’s a ramp
door or a window and then there’s a ramp the other side so caregivers can come in
the other side so caregivers can come in
the other side so caregivers can come in and out without disrupting the rest of
and out without disrupting the rest of
and out without disrupting the rest of the family we were on a roll then we
the family we were on a roll then we
the family we were on a roll then we found out have you any idea how many
found out have you any idea how many
found out have you any idea how many people are languishing in nursing homes
people are languishing in nursing homes
people are languishing in nursing homes and facilities simply because they do
and facilities simply because they do
and facilities simply because they do not have accessible housing that’s first
not have accessible housing that’s first
not have accessible housing that’s first of the United spinal cord Association
of the United spinal cord Association
of the United spinal cord Association says there are four point three million
says there are four point three million
says there are four point three million vets disabled of that 1 million are
vets disabled of that 1 million are
vets disabled of that 1 million are languishing and facilities solely
languishing and facilities solely
languishing and facilities solely because their home is inaccessible now
because their home is inaccessible now
because their home is inaccessible now you add people like Riley and other
you add people like Riley and other
you add people like Riley and other people who have sports injuries or
people who have sports injuries or
people who have sports injuries or illnesses that a few years ago wouldn’t
illnesses that a few years ago wouldn’t
illnesses that a few years ago wouldn’t be with us but due to medical advances
be with us but due to medical advances
be with us but due to medical advances they are and on top of that there are
they are and on top of that there are
they are and on top of that there are thousands and thousands of people that
thousands and thousands of people that
thousands and thousands of people that have their bedroom in the living room of
have their bedroom in the living room of
have their bedroom in the living room of a home because that is the only place
a home because that is the only place
a home because that is the only place that they can get to in their home
that they can get to in their home
that they can get to in their home before Riley is accident I never even
before Riley is accident I never even
before Riley is accident I never even thought about these kind of things but
thought about these kind of things but
thought about these kind of things but now my friends Cynthia Payne Meyer who
now my friends Cynthia Payne Meyer who
now my friends Cynthia Payne Meyer who broke her neck in two places
broke her neck in two places
broke her neck in two places boogie-boarding on her 59th birthday is
boogie-boarding on her 59th birthday is
boogie-boarding on her 59th birthday is home with her family her friends
home with her family her friends
home with her family her friends bringing her meals giving her all kinds
bringing her meals giving her all kinds
bringing her meals giving her all kinds of treatments her Gardens her dog
of treatments her Gardens her dog
of treatments her Gardens her dog because of wheel pad Vietnam veteran
because of wheel pad Vietnam veteran
because of wheel pad Vietnam veteran Edmond little is home with his wife in
Edmond little is home with his wife in
Edmond little is home with his wife in their wheel pad attached to their
their wheel pad attached to their
their wheel pad attached to their craftsman-style home service-related ALS
craftsman-style home service-related ALS
craftsman-style home service-related ALS Julia with cerebral palsy is home for us
Julia with cerebral palsy is home for us
Julia with cerebral palsy is home for us I mean being able to keep these families
I mean being able to keep these families
I mean being able to keep these families together is a dream come true
together is a dream come true
together is a dream come true Riley was doing well thriving doing
Riley was doing well thriving doing
Riley was doing well thriving doing becoming the man he wanted to be and
becoming the man he wanted to be and
becoming the man he wanted to be and more and his acupuncturist showed up and
more and his acupuncturist showed up and
more and his acupuncturist showed up and helped he had really debilitating
helped he had really debilitating
helped he had really debilitating painful tremors
painful tremors
painful tremors showed up and after nine months of
showed up and after nine months of
showed up and after nine months of amazing work
amazing work
amazing work she said Riley I’m sorry but I can no
she said Riley I’m sorry but I can no
she said Riley I’m sorry but I can no longer be your physician it was oh my
longer be your physician it was oh my
longer be your physician it was oh my god well can I ask why and she says
god well can I ask why and she says
god well can I ask why and she says because I’ve fallen in love with you
because I’ve fallen in love with you
because I’ve fallen in love with you today Riley is 35 years old living with
today Riley is 35 years old living with
today Riley is 35 years old living with the beautiful Andrea his acupuncturist
the beautiful Andrea his acupuncturist
the beautiful Andrea his acupuncturist getting promotion after promotion of
getting promotion after promotion of
getting promotion after promotion of ethniki literally living the life of
ethniki literally living the life of
ethniki literally living the life of Riley
Riley
Riley we at will pad we go to work with a
we at will pad we go to work with a
we at will pad we go to work with a smile knowing we can keep families
smile knowing we can keep families
smile knowing we can keep families together so we hope that our story
together so we hope that our story
together so we hope that our story there are so many ways to show up from
there are so many ways to show up from
there are so many ways to show up from minuscule words said at the right time
minuscule words said at the right time
minuscule words said at the right time to big humongous ideas that we only can
to big humongous ideas that we only can
to big humongous ideas that we only can figure out these ideas we’re spreading
figure out these ideas we’re spreading
figure out these ideas we’re spreading if we show up to be there and see that
if we show up to be there and see that
if we show up to be there and see that potential and we hope that our journey
potential and we hope that our journey
potential and we hope that our journey inspires you to give use your gifts big
inspires you to give use your gifts big
inspires you to give use your gifts big or small for the healing of us all thank
or small for the healing of us all thank
or small for the healing of us all thank you
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