Wednesday 7 November 2012

A Year Ago Today

Exactly a year ago today I got the pleasure of meeting Bethany Joy Lenz along with the cast and crew of One Tree Hill. A year on it still feels like the day was yesterday. I have so many amazing memories of an experience I never thought would happen to me. I'm so grateful to the Starlight foundation and the people of One Tree Hill who were able to  make my dream.

Not only did I get to spend a week in Wilmington, North Carolina which is very wheelchair friendly for someone like me. I also got to spend a few days in New York, where I had never been to before. Although New York is a very big city, I found it easy enough to push around as most places were on the flat. If you are not used to a lot of pushing it can be tiring and take a lot out of you trying to get around. Therefore I would suggest you stay somewhere in the centre that is close to all the place you are wanting to visit, this will cut down on the amount of pushing you have to do around the city. If you have never been to New York or North Carolina, I would definitely recommend them as places to visit. It does involved a lot of travelling to get to these places, once you are there it is totally worth it.

Getting to spend time with Joy really made me feel normal, as not notice did my disability come into the situation. Whereas in my everyday life there is always one person which has to ask about my disability. For me it feel great not having to have that conversation or having to think about my disability, just to treated feel a normal person. Just from getting to spend those few days with Joy, she really helped me to realise that my disability doesn't matter. I'm just as normal as normal as anyone else in the world.

Looking back I couldn't have wished to meet a more inspiring and friendly role model than Joy. Just get to hang out with her and a few of the other cast members is the most fun I have ever had with some great people. If you eve get the chance to meet her you will understand just how inspiring she really is. I just hope she knows how inspiring she is and she has changed my life for the better.