Today's How I Did It story comes courtesy of the Ralph Braun Foundation. Ralph has inspired and open doors for the handicapped because he never let his own disability be an obstacle for what he wanted to do in life.
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| http://braunability.com |
In 1947, Ralph was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at just six years of age. Ralph credits his parents with instilling in him the will to overcome the challenges his disability presented him – as well as any other obstacles life put in his path. When he could no longer rely on his own two legs and he’d outgrown piggyback rides from his dad, he began using a wheelchair. While he didn’t welcome the mobility aid, the 13-year-old never let it slow him down. Ralph wanted an education, a career and a family, just like anyone else; he just had to work a little harder at it.
First, he invented a motorized scooter, the Tri-Wheeler, so he could conserve energy and keep his job as a Quality Control Inspector at a nearby factory. As his mobility increased, so did the attention from the disabled community. What started as a part-time business filling orders for Tri-Wheelers from his parents’ garage evolved into Save-A-Step Manufacturing.
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| This is the internationally recognized symbol for accessibility (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
For much of the 70s and 80s, Braun’s product line was built on the wheelchair lift. Not only did this product revolutionize consumer mobility, but it forever changed public transportation as well. Finally buses and vans could be outfitted with wheelchair lifts to allow universal public transportation from city and state governments. Most importantly, children across the country were offered accessible transportation to and from school – a benefit that didn’t seem possible when Ralph was a young man encountering multiple roadblocks to his own public education. The commercial lift industry, as well as the paratransit business, continues to thrive in the domestic and international markets.
By the time the lowered floor minivan was introduced in the late 1980s, Americans were experiencing a level of mobility that had never before existed. Other manufacturers offered mobility products, but what set The Braun Corporation apart was Ralph’s focus on providing mobility solutions to meet the individual needs of each customer. That’s why he created a network of dealers across the country to evaluate an individual’s needs and circumstances and find the best mobility option for him or her.
This year, marks the 40th anniversary of The Braun Corporation. Ralph has set an admirable example for his employees, his community and all those who have or care for someone with a physical disability. The world is a better place because of his ambition and innovation.
Ralph has written about about his life entitled Rise Above available HERE.
What experience or obstacle has been or could be instrumental in helping you rise above your current circumstances?
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