Matilda Ziegler Magazine for the Blind the source for blindness news and information since 1907

In a year where hundreds of Americans met their demise due to hellacious storms, the National Weather Service still reports that 2011 had fewer lightning deaths than ever before. The decrease is far from marginal–in fact, it is quite the opposite, especially when you consider that the annual median for lightning deaths is more than double the 26 people who lost their lives in 2011.

According to the Weather Service, the decline does not come as a complete astonishment. For several decades, Lightning deaths have steadily diminished, and the drop off can be attributed to better public education.

During a storm, taking precautionary measures does make a difference in a chance for survival. Safer hiding places provided by the Weather Channel include, remaining in a metal vehicle, or a building with plumbing and wiring. Stay away from electronic devices, and wait a half an hour after the storm ends before moving along.

Having the knowledge and applying it does go quite a long way. For example, 70 years ago, when the country had less than half the population of today, more than 400 people perished in lightning storms. In addition, consider the fact that there were not as many electronic devices and appliances back then, yet annual death totals were astronomically higher. Of course being struck by lightning does not always result in death, but acting responsibly can decrease the chances for injury too. A strike of lightning can cause damage to the nervous system, as well as the brain.

With a mild winter that has produced lighting storms and tornadoes in the South just this month, storm preparedness and safety measures are as important now as they are in the middle of the summer.

Source: www.usatoday.com/weather/news/story/2012…/lightning-deaths…/1

When a husband and wife, 99 and 96-years-old, have been married for almost 4 scores, it is probably a safe bet that the vow “Till Death Do Us Part” is a foregone conclusion. The husband, though– only known as Antonio–hopes to write a different final chapter to the end of a 77 year marriage to his wife Rosa. Antonio is asking for a divorce, after discovering evidence of a transgression, of which Rosa allegedly confessed to. Of course separations involving everyday people are usually not newsworthy, but the facts surrounding this act of adultery are very unique.

Everything took a wrong turn for the Italian couple during the holiday season, as they were packing up to move out of their apartment in Rome, when Antonio happened to stumble upon some love letters. They were found in a drawer, and were written by Rosa more than 6 decades earlier. When confronted, Rosa supposedly apologized and asked her husband to stay, but the fact that they had 5 children, 12 grandchildren, and a great-grand child still was not enough to prevent Antonio from filing the papers.

Although such drastic measures may come as a surprise, this is not the first time there has been trouble in paradise. Just 10 years ago, Antonio moved in with a son, but the hiatus from Rosa only turned out to be for a few weeks. If this separation sticks, when the divorce becomes final, they would be the oldest couple ever to do so. In 2009, a British couple, both 98, were granted a divorce, but they had not been married for even half the amount of time as Antonio and Rosa.

While this couple started their New Year out on the wrong foot, I am happy to go into 2012 with all of you dedicated readers. In June, I’ll be entering my 8th year with this great publication. Forget about me, though; don’t forget that March begins the 105th anniversary of the Ziegler Magazine. Such a milestone is an incredible accomplishment–one that is as much a reflection of our staff as it is our wonderful audience. Happy New Year, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading the Ziegler.

Source: http://elev8.com/news/orethawinston/odd-story-99-year-old-divorces-wife-after-77-years-marriage/

For the 99th year, operation Santa is playing its role in providing gifts to needy parents and children. Various cities including Chicago, New York, Boston and Los Angeles are participants in the program, which welcomes many secret Santas. Anyone interested in joining can pick up a letter from one of the 75 participating post offices, and prognosticators do not expect there will be any shortage of letters this year.

Head of the program at New York’s main post office, Pete Fontana, discussed the type of year he thought it would be. “I think this is going to be the neediest year ever because the economy has not improved,” he said. “We’ve already seen a lot of really sad letters.” Of course there are many letters requesting luxuries such as toys, but some talk about a lack of clothing, and even health issues too. The need for assistance comes from mothers and grandmothers without jobs, pregnant women living in shelters, and even young children in need of surgery.

Last year Mya Worthey, a 26-year-old mother, wrote a letter regarding her daughter Shamaya, a 7-year-old born with just one ear. “I have tried so many doctors, but have had no luck or my insurance didn’t cover the charges,” Worthey wrote. Luckily for Ms. Worthey and her daughter, the letter wound up in the hands of Dr. Sheryl Lewin, who eventually performed surgery on Shamaya twice. The third and final surgical procedure will be accompanied by an added bonus, which will come as a complete surprise to Shamaya. While under anesthesia, she will get her ears pierced, and Dr. Lewin loves providing females with that opportunity. She said, “All the girls always ask me if they can wear earrings.”

For those interested in being a secret Santa this year, gifts must be returned to the post office where the letter was picked up. Packages must be prepared for mailing by December 23rd, and participants are responsible for covering shipping costs. Once presents are mailed, letter carriers will handle the deliveries.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-11-30/post-office-operation-santa-needy-kids/51510266/1

To close out the month of May, I wrote a column paying homage to all our fallen service men and women in recognition of Memorial Day. At the end of that piece I talked about a follow up for Veterans Day, when we would publish an article about living veterans and their stories. The 3 men we spoke to were all active during Vietnam, and shared separate tales of survival and perseverance. The fact that we only spoke to men from the same era is not in any way discriminatory, it is just that these are the people we found who were willing to share their stories.

There was no apprehension in his voice when Douglas Elliott reflected on his journey, which goes back more than 4 decades to May 2, 1966. It was 5 months after he celebrated his twenty-first birthday, when Mr. Elliott of Grinnell, Iowa was building a wooden bridge to make a passageway for 3 American tanks that were trapped. He actually spotted the enemy and chose not to open fire, and that decision turned out to be a costly one. “I was walking along the road and they blew me up,” said Elliott. “I never lost consciousness–just my eyesight.” With fragments all over his face, Mr. Elliott had to crawl to safety with the assistance of an officer.

Almost 4 years later on April 7, 1970, Alpidio Rolon, a native of Puerto Rico, found out what it was like to walk a mile in Mr. Elliott’s shoes. Rolon, only 20 at the time, said he remembers it like yesterday when that grenade exploded about eight feet away, waking him up at about two in the morning and discovering that he had been blinded. “I started screaming medic, medic,” said Rolon. “Then I heard the captain say ‘Tell him to shut up!’ I did, because if I didn’t they’d be able to find us and get us.” After about an hour he was air-lifted to a hospital, and several weeks later he was transported to a rehabilitation center.

Mr. Rolon and Mr. Elliott had no problems with the services they received in the aftermath of being injured. “A few weeks later a guy gave me a cane and took me to the room for physical therapy,” said Rolon. “After the third day, he said ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, but I’m not coming to get you.’ He told me, ‘I expect you at 10 in the morning,’ and I often tell people that the approximately 200 meter walk to get there was the longest walk of my life.”

Mr. Elliott was not only pleased with his rehab, he is even more complementary of the financial benefits he received. “I’m glad that the country pays me some money,” said Elliott.” I’ve always worked and I believe that blind people should work because that’s what I fought for. I’m a guy without a high school diploma, but the government was able to help me get a masters degree and I like that.” Mr. Elliott used his college education and applied it to social work, from which he is now retired.

After losing his sight, Mr. Rolon has spent his years fighting to make Puerto Rico a better place for the blind to live. “I’ve basically been an activist and a militant in terms of rights for the blind here.” Speaking about Mr. Rolon, Mr. Elliott said, “I don’t know him hardly at all, he’s just one of my heroes.”

Neither Mr. Elliott nor Mr. Rolon are acquainted with Roberto Diaz, another blind Veteran who resides in Naugatuck, Connecticut. Whether they know it or not, all 3 men have several things in common. They have no regrets, and just enjoy helping others. Mr. Diaz, who did not lose his sight during combat, recently became blind as a result of being electrocuted on the job as a fire fighter. Now he is working to obtain his college degree, with aspirations of becoming a teacher. “I want to teach the kids no one else wants to teach,” said Diaz. “Essentially last stop before jail schools. Between me being a street guy all my life, serving the country, working as a fire fighter, and being bilingual, I don’t anticipate not being able to connect with these kids.”

This week, many people will be connecting in honor of Veterans Day, and no matter what era they served, it all contributes to our freedom. Mr. Diaz said, “On Veterans Day, I make it a point to toast those that have gone before me, those that I was with, and those that are there now.” Mr. Rolon can certainly appreciate that sentiment of respecting the past but also not dwelling on it. He spoke about his tour of duty and summed it up rather precisely. “I never look back at that and regret that,” Rolon said. “I work on a 24-hour plan and I’m going to do what I can do today and let tomorrow take care of tomorrow.”

After prison days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months turned to years, Dewey Bozella refused to lock up his dreams and throw away the key. Earlier this month, Mr. Bozella accomplished one of his dreams, despite the fact that he traveled down a rather unconventional path. Mr. Bozella had the desire to compete in a professional boxing match, and he finally accomplished that feat at the age of 52. After a 4 round contest at the Los Angeles Staples Center on October 15, Mr. Bozella achieved a unanimous victory over his opponent Larry Hopkins, a man 22 years his junior.

Mr. Bozella did come into the bout with quite the boxing resume, but his credentials as a boxing champion are probably locked away somewhere, literally. To find them, you would have to check the files at the infamous Sing Sing, a correctional facility in New York State–a place Bozella called home for 26 years.

The nightmare for the big dreamer all began in 1983, when he was wrongfully convicted for the 1977 murder of a 92-year-old woman. Actually, Mr. Bozella was found guilty twice, once again in 1990, after he balked at the opportunity to take a plea bargain that would have set him free, if he only confessed to the crime.

His boxing prowess is far from the only skill he showed off while incarcerated. Mr. Bozella completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees, and now aspires to open a boxing ring. He said, “My next fight is to work with kids, the Dewey Bozella Foundation, that’s what I’m trying to get started to work with kids to keep them off the streets, to let them know through boxing they can turn their life around.”

Mr. Bozella won his fight for freedom after the discovery of a police file that his defense was never provided with. Of course the file contained a significant amount of evidence to the contrary, which ultimately lead to his October 2009 release. He said the sport of boxing gave him the intestinal fortitude necessary to serve a 26 year sentence, and now his focus is on giving back. Speaking about the remainder of his own boxing career, he said, “This is my first and my last fight,” as he determined that he is too old to continue.

Despite the fact that he is a one-and-done fighter, Mr. Bozella’s story did capture the attention of some people in high places. A couple of days prior to his fight, he received a phone call from President Obama, offering some kind words. Hopefully, through the continued circulation of his story, Mr. Bozella can open his training facility sooner rather than later, and knock out another one of his dreams he refuses to let die.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/17/nyregion/dewey-bozella-52-cleared-of-77-murder-wins-pro-boxing-debut.html

From early September to the beginning of February, my perfect Sunday includes two things–food and football. Between the hours of 1 in the afternoon until almost mid-night, I’m usually traveling back and forth from the couch to the kitchen. Yesterday, my day did include food and football, but it did not come in quite the same package that I’m used to. For the first time ever, I attended a live football game, featuring the Seattle Seahawks against my beloved New York Giants.

Attending the game as a member of the media, the battle in my head began immediately between Romeo the Giants fan and Romeo the professional. When I exited the elevator on the press level and realized I would be indoors, I quickly discerned that I would have to keep my emotions in check. The tranquility of the press level was not conducive to my usual child-like behavior during a Giants game. I’m sure I groaned and cheered a little too loud once or twice, but I did much better at keeping myself in check as the game progressed.

On a more serious note, attending the game was quite a learning experience for me, and it eased some fear I had of expanding my writing career. First of all, I’ve often wondered about completing game stories in a timely fashion if I were a Giants beat reporter, and I discovered it would not be a problem. Although game stories mostly include text, they usually mention some statistics too, and I wondered just how quickly I could access such information. Well, for one, official play information is announced over the public address system in the press box after each play. These included yards gained or lost, the players involved, etc. Furthermore, official stat sheets are given out at the end of every quarter, and portable text to speech scanning technology could easily make that information accessible to me.

Also, the possibility of needing food did concern me, because navigating amongst more than seventy-five-thousand people with a tray could be tricky. Much to my delight however, the press has a separate eating area, and equally appealing is the fact that it is free. Being indoors was something important to me too, because despite yesterdays warm beautiful day, November, December, and January is usually quite the opposite.

The only negative I could find is something I already figured. While going into the locker room after the game, of course no one on the Giants was too enthusiastic about speaking to the media. With angry looks on their faces, players and coaches whizzed by according to our Editor Ross Hammond, but we did get some face time with Jake Ballard, the Giants’ Tight End.

For a fan like me, the ride back to Brooklyn seemed especially long, as well. But the 90 minute commute via the train allowed me to do quite a bit of thinking, and I came away smiling about the knowledge I acquired regarding my continued potential as a writer.

After applying for a job, Kerry Kirksey learned that part of the application process included answering some questions online. Much to his delight, Mr. Kirksey determined he could answer everything correctly, but he would soon discover that he was in for a completely different type of exam. Mr. Kirksey, a California resident, is blind, and the speech program in his computer did not enable him to answer the questions in a timely manner. Mr. Kirksey informed the company, ITT Technical Institute, of his dilemma, and even presented them with two possible solutions, but they completely ignored his suggestions and denied his application.

Mr. Kirksey informed his potential employer that either providing a reader or allowing more time to complete the application would work just fine, but ITT Tech simply balked at both ideas. Even after Mr. Kirksey’s job developer contacted the company to educate them of the fact that they were breaking the law, ITT Tech still chose not to budge. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) reasonable accommodations must be provided, and discrimination based on disability is absolutely prohibited.

Now instead of Mr. Kirksey and his job developer, ITT Tech has to deal with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) who has filed a law suit. Along with several other requests, the suit seeks punitive and monetary damages, and calls for corrective action.

EEOC’s legal team cannot comprehend why this had to become so difficult. Their regional attorney, William R. Tamayo, said, “In this case, a simple accommodation of additional time or a reader would have enabled Mr. Kirksey to complete the application process and would not have cost a dime. There really is no reason ITT Tech should have denied the accommodation.”

Mr. Kirksey was just as befuddled with the decision not to offer accommodations, and was disappointed with ITT Tech’s unwillingness to cooperate. ITT Tech provides secondary and post secondary degree programs in technology, and Mr. Kirksey relished the thought of being a member of the team. He said, “I had received computer training from a school like ITT Tech and worked in the computer industry for five years, so I was excited by the opportunity to help other people discover the benefits of this kind of school.”

Luckily for Mr. Kirksey and others in his predicament, the ADA was established to abolish behavior like that of ITT Tech’s, but of course there will always be some who try to defy authority. Unfortunately, potential employers can sometimes get of scot free if the victim does not have the proper resources. The EEOC happens to be one of those resources, and among other things they fight to assure that the laws of the ADA are being enforced.
Source: EEOC Press Release, dated September 21, 2011

Last week, a 24-year-old Ohio Resident lost his life as a result of a tooth infection that eventually worked its way into his brain. Excruciating headaches accompanied by facial swelling sent the man, Kyle Willis, to the emergency room, where he was informed that he needed a wisdom tooth extracted. Unfortunately, Mr. Willis was uninsured, and did not have the funds to cover the cost. As an alternative, doctors informed him that he could purchase pain killers and antibiotics, and Mr. Willis decided to go with pain killers only.

Just two weeks later that decision proved to be fatal because the pain did subside, however the infection continued progressing. The infection lead to swelling of the brain, and now a little girl does not have a father. In case there is not enough heartbreak, University of California dentist Irvin Silverstein provided further insight into why this is such a tragedy. He said, “People end up dying, and these are the most treatable, preventable diseases in the world.” Dr. Silverstein added that people are not cognizant of the severity of dental disease, even though he does understand that often times dental problems are ignored due to financial reasons.

With the current economic climate, where people are unemployed and or have jobs that do not offer health benefits, it is essential to focus on the areas where we have a little more control. For instance, eating a sufficient amount of meals, as long as it’s the right type of food, can go quite far when it comes to avoiding the doctor’s office. Similarly, brushing, flossing, and teeth cleanings, which are not overly expensive, can also reduce the need for advanced care. Finally, we all know there are exceptions to every rule, and the harsh reality is that health conditions can also be attributed to a combination of genetics and or bad luck.
Source: http://www.catholic.org/health/story.php?id=42684

This past Saturday at the South Street Seaport in New York City, a new exhibit that uses darkness to bring people into the light, Dialog in the Dark, opened its doors to paying customers, offering hour long tours in total darkness. The new attraction presents visitors with the opportunity to experience some of New York’s shrines in an entirely different manner. As they watch a video demonstration of how to use a white cane, sighted visitors are then given one just before entering a world that will soon turn pitch black.

Once the sense of sight is rendered useless, a totally blind or visually impaired tour guide emerges and leads the way. If the guide is Valarie Rosario, a former teacher from Queens, you can expect a brief lesson as you move through each of the 5 galleries. “I like to have an anecdote for each stop along the tour,” Ms. Rosario said. “So whether we are in Times Square or Central Park, I have a story for them.” Of course listening to Ms. Rosario is essential, but she wants to be sure that everyone is touching too. “In the market, I go around and put things in people’s hands or sometimes I’ll bring someone over to an area so they can explore.”

Damon Fuller, a tour guide from Staten Island, implores his groups to roam around freely. “I make my tours calm and relaxing,” said Fuller. “I try to encourage them to use their canes to walk around and use their other senses to enjoy the experience, while I keep the tone of my voice at a level that provides comfort.”

Mr. Fuller and Ms. Rosario were both excited about opening weekend, and felt that everything went very smooth. Mr. Fuller did admit that he only became really confident after his second tour, saying, “I needed to know that doing well on the first one wasn’t just a fluke.” All the guides had been giving free tours for a while, but Mr. Fuller said there is added pressure when people put their money down.

Although visitors just began reaching into their wallets in New York, Dialog in the Dark is the second of its kind in the United States. Three years ago, Atlanta, Georgia began welcoming customers, and what was initially predicted to last only 6 months has just been extended indefinitely. With that said, you still need to go back even further in order to find the true roots of Dialog in the Dark, which goes back more than two decades. It all began on the continent of Europe in the late 1980’s, where you can still find museums today.

Back in New York, everyone can only dream of matching the success of their predecessors. Guides like Stephanie Foxworth-Johnson, enjoys her new job beyond anything words can describe. “People will have fun on my tours, and they will walk away with an education about the blind community, too. When they leave me, they will have more respect for us and our capabilities, understanding that sight has nothing to do with intelligence or enjoying life.” When asked how long she could see herself doing this, the Manhattan resident said, “I’m going to ride until the wheels fall off!”

As the wheels turn, admission to the exhibit is $22.50, and hours are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information go to www.dialognyc.com or call 888-926-3437.

In most cases, determining a school’s valedictorian does not involve any arbitration. Usually the answer is in the math, and the person with the highest grade point average earns that distinction. Unfortunately for Kymberly Wimberly, an eighteen-year-old mother from Arkansas, what should have been immeasurably simple to decide, proved to be more akin to advanced calculus. Unequivocally the highest G.P.A. belonged to Ms. Wimberly, but one surprising element she did not factor into the equation was her race.
As flabbergasting as it may seem, McGehee Secondary School made Ms. Wimberly, who is black, co-valedictorian with a white student who had a lower G.P.A. The school contends that the white student accumulated more credits, which is a fact, but Ms. Wimberly argues that credits are only factored in when the G.P.A’s. are equal. If being forced to share the spotlight was not egregious enough, Ms. Wimberly was put through a wide range of emotions in a 24-hour span. Initially, she was told that she was the lone valedictorian, but the very next day she was notified of the sudden amendment.
Ms. Wimberly’s mother, Molly Bratton, is employed by the school, and Ms. Bratton overheard a conversation that provided some insight into why the school chose such a route. She claims that the day her daughter was told that she would be the valedictorian, some of the school’s personnel were worried that Ms. Wimberly’s status may have caused an uproar at the predominantly white school. Ms. Bratton said she heard this discussion in a school office, and the aftermath just lead to a downward spiral. To pour more salt in the wound, Ms. Bratton attempted to address the school board prior to the May 13th graduation, but she was denied the opportunity due to allegedly filling out the wrong form. The school has not had a black valedictorian since 1989, and apparently could not handle another one more than two decades later.
Since it was too arduous to watch a black valedictorian take center stage all alone, maybe the McGehee School District, the board, the district’s superintendent, and the school’s principal, both individually and in their official capacities, may find it easier to handle a federal lawsuit. The lawsuit is asking for $75,000 in damages, and illustrates several injustices. It contends that the school district does not steer black students towards honors and advanced courses, and that black students are treated with an overall lack of respect compared to whites.
In the meantime, Ms. Wimberly has not let this injustice deter her from her educational goals. Currently, she is attending college at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and aspires to eventually earn doctorate and medical degrees.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/27/us-valedictorian-arkansas-lawsuit-idUSTRE76Q74B20110727