[nfbwatlk] Fw: [blindkid] Extreme Home Make-Over Home Edition, Much Improved

[Alco Canfield]

Can you imagine finally being able to wheel yourself in to take a shower and
not have your dad have to lift you in and out of the tub?  That in itself
brings tears to these old "blind" eyes.  (grin)

Alco 

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Mike Freeman
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 8:22 PM
To: NFB of Washington Talk
Subject: [nfbwatlk] Fw: [blindkid] Extreme Home Make-Over Home Edition,Much
Improved

----- Original Message -----
From: Peter Donahue
To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2008 8:11 PM
Subject: [blindkid] Extreme Home Make-Over Home Edition, Much Improved


Good evening everyone,

    Before I call it a night on this rig we watch this edition of 
Extreme
Make-Over, Home Edition and over-all felt that the portrail of Patrick 
and
his disabilities  was far better than those of the previous two episodes
featuring home make-over for blind individuals and their families. Much 
of
the credit goes to Patrick himself as when the make-over team and others
sensationalized his disabilities he asserted himself and defended his
dignity by reminding the team and the audience that he was no different 
than
others with disabilities wishing to fulfill a life-long dream. His dad 
also
provided additional support concerning his son's aspirations. There was 
far
less of the stuff about how great and wonderful Patrick was, although 
some
of it surfaced throughout the show, and more of the idea communicated 
that
here was an individual who enjoys music and other activities who happens 
to
be blind and uses a wheelchair, and who wants to give back to his 
community.

    Like the park that was built in Cedar City Utah so Nicole Rasmussen
could take her daughter there and that is used by others in the 
community
the University of Kentucky got a new band practice field dedicated to
Patrick Henry Hughes with a plaque  written in print and Braille. Like
Nicole on Three Wishes Patrick read the Braille on the plaque.

    Mention was made of different textured surfaces in Patrick's 
apartment,
but to what extent they were used was unclear to us. We got the 
impression
that the home designers concentrated more on making the Hughes home more
wheelchair accessible and concentrated less on his blindness which is 
what
we would have wanted to see.    The T.V. critic in me isn't sure to give
this show 4 or 5 Stars, but it was a vast improvement over the previous 
two
shows depicting the blind that left glitter tastes in many of our 
mouths.
Again much of the credit goes to Patrick and his father for the far more
positive image of disabled individuals portrayed on this program. All 
the
best for a great week ahead.

Peter Donahue


 "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten"
Joel 2-25

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