You were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), type 3, a rare, genetically inherited neuromuscular condition, as a child. When did you transition into a wheelchair? I had muscle weakness when I was a kid, but I was still able to play soccer and baseball. As I grew taller and my muscles got weaker, I had more difficulty walking. But I really resisted moving into a wheelchair. It wasn't until high school where the hallways were longer and the distance between classrooms was greater that I finally got a wheelchair.
How did you feel after transitioning to a wheelchair? I thought it would be confining and limiting, but it actually relieved me of a lot of physical and mental energy. I didn't realize how much time I was spending figuring out how to get around. Being in a wheelchair was much easier.
You are in your third year at Brooklyn Law School with the goal of becoming a public defender. How has your disease influenced your career choice? My successes so far have been due to support from my parents, my community, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, my college, and my friends. They have all been very important in helping me overcome my challenges. I've always been interested in disability rights, but I'm passionate about social justice in general, and I'm excited to advocate for people who need support.
You are interning for a public defender. How do defendants respond when they see you in a wheelchair? At first, they are skeptical. I can see they're thinking, "It looks like you need more help than I do." But the minute I start speaking I can see their impressions flip. They think I'll be self-conscious about my disability or acknowledge it, but I just focus on our work together and they immediately sense my confidence.
You and your wife hope to start a family one day. Does having SMA affect that goal? My wife should get tested to see if she has a recessive gene for SMA. Since I have two recessive genes for the disorder, if she has one, our child would have SMA. I would raise that child in the same way my parents raised me—by instilling trust, confidence, and the importance of academics. My parents didn't let anything stop me, and they raised me to be an advocate for myself.
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