Celebrating Inclusion of Children with Disabilities by Sharing Their Stories
OE's Interview
Interview with OE
Both OE and her coach, Austin, have cerebral palsy and use communication devices or sign language to communicate. They are also both very smart! OE was adopted from Russia when she was almost five years old. She spent the first years of her life living in a crib. Once she moved to the United States her adoptive parents changed her life, as you’ll see in her story.
Q: What’s your favorite?
Food-Cheese
Book-I love to read animal books and learn more information about them.
Game-I love to play any card games.
Color-Purple Sport-Boccia Ball Animal-Giraffes
Place to go-I love to go swimming at different pools in the community.
Q: How old were you in your book?
A: I was eight years old when my book was written.
Q: What’s it like to be in a book?
A: I love having a book about me and about playing my favorite sport, Boccia. We have the book in our school library and it is always checked out with a hold list because my friends like to read about me. Sometimes people in the community even recognize me from reading my book. I often see my book in therapy offices and doctor offices, so that is always fun.
Q: What’s it like having cerebral palsy?
A: I do some things differently. I use a wheelchair to get around. I use a computer to talk for me. I do wish that I could use my legs and my voice, but that’s probably not going to happen. I want people to know that even though I do things differently I am mostly like all of my friends.
Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: When I grow up, I want to be a Veterinarian and take care of animals.
Q: What do you wish others understood or knew about you?
A: That even though I am mostly nonverbal and because I can’t always respond to them with words, that doesn’t mean I’m that I’m a baby and that I’m not smart, it just means that people need to listen to me with more than just their ears. They need to look at my eyes and my body language and my signs, they need to be patient with me and I will make sure they understand what I am trying to tell them.
Learn more about cerebral palsy
Austin started playing boccia when he was 12 years old. His father, Gary, is his coach and ramp assistant. He’s been competing internationally for over 20 years. Learn more Austin
Learn how Austin plays Boccia
Learn more about the US Boccia League
