Faces of UCP: Krissy, Age 22
Krissy had enough trouble walking—the idea of being strapped onto water skis and sliding backward into the water seemed impossible and frightening.
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 9 months old, Krissy often felt frustrated and isolated as a kid. Classmates avoided her because they were too scared to ask why she was different. She learned to ignore it, but still found herself frustrated watching both her older and younger siblings surpass her physical abilities while she still struggled to form words.
“I often wondered, ‘Am I always going to be like this?’” Krissy said.
Then she attended WAVE Camp, which provides water activities for youth with disabilities.
“Before WAVE Camp, I never thought I could water ski,” Krissy said. “They pushed me to try new things. It took four years, but I finally tried water skiing and loved it.”
Krissy’s parents, Bill and Mary have worked hard to make sure she had the same opportunities as other kids.
“The most difficult thing is to change your expectations,” Bill said, “We got very involved in her activities, and that’s where you get over what you perceived your kid’s life was going to be like and realize everybody doesn’t have to be this size or this shape.”
“It’s so heart-wrenching at first,” Mary said. “But once you get around other parents and support groups, it helps you get through the initial emotional difficulty.”
Though Krissy’s doctors said she might never walk, she eventually enrolled in soccer and baseball. Now she wants to work with kids with disabilities to help them get through the tough spots she has experienced.
“My advice to kids with disabilities is to live your life to the fullest and try to do the most you can,” Krissy said. “If you think you can’t…try. You never know.”