My new YouTube video is about Olmstead


 

I just posted a new video on my YouTube channel, and honestly… It’s one of the most personal things I’ve ever talked about.

 

When I was a baby, a doctor told my family that when I stopped being “cost‑effective,” he would arrange to put me in an institution. That was the plan for my life — not because I needed medical care, but because it was easier for the system to deal with me that way.

 

My parents didn’t listen. And because they didn’t, everything about my life changed.

 

I got to grow up at home. I got to grow up with my brothers. I got to go to school, be part of my community, graduate, earn a degree, and become an advocate. All of that would have been taken from me if my family had followed that doctor’s advice.

 

In the video, I talk about what almost happened, what did happen, and why this still matters today — because the threat of institutionalization isn’t “history.” It’s something disabled people are still fighting in 2026.

 

If you want to hear the full story, you can watch it here: 👉 https://youtu.be/RfgHSUJxrJw

 

And if you’ve lived something like this — or if you’re fighting for your right to live in your own community — you’re not alone. I see you.

Location: Washington County, PA, USA

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