We Can All Learn Something from Noted Disability Advocate, Garret Frey By: Jason Hahr

image of women with long brown hair in a ponytailwearing a white shirt with light blue wash denim jacket sitting in a wheelchair with a group of other people in the bacground


Do you think your life is challenging? You must pay bills, work forty-plus hours a week, take care of a family in some cases, and find the energy to get out of bed, and that is just on a typical day. The above scenario may seem challenging or tedious to some people. Still, when we compare it to the struggles that noted disability advocates such as Garret Frey go through every day, we begin to realize that maybe we don't have it so awful after all.

You may be wondering, "Who is Garret Frey, and why should I care?" This blog piece aims to answer that question by the end. The answer is quite simple. Garret Frey is a noted disability advocate from Iowa. I'm not just celebrating him because he is a disability advocate; instead, I'm celebrating him because of his story and what he has done for others in the disability community. He was paralyzed at age four due to an accident. He is now forty-three years old. He does not let his accident stop him from living his life, even though he's had to fight every day to breathe.

Frey uses a mechanical ventilator to breathe as a result of his accident. As I said before, he has not let his accident turn into a tragedy; he has used it to become one of the most powerful disability advocates I have ever encountered. I usually don't believe that disabled people are inspirational for the sake of being inspirational, but I can say that Garrett's story has inspired me to keep pushing forward.

After his accident, society planned on him just being a quiet disabled person; however, through his advocacy and the court system, he was able to make his voice heard. Garret needs his ventilator monitored by a nurse. This caused a problem when he was attending high school because the school did not want to allow him to stay in regular classes and get the care he needed. When I first read this, I was angry for him, but then I realized he was not just angry; he did something about it. He won a landmark case against his school district in front of the US Supreme Court, which forced the school district to acquiesce and pay for his nurse to assist him. His advocacy did not stop once he left school.

He recently won another case in front of the Supreme Court, which forced Iowa to increase Medicaid payments so that he could hire caregivers at night. If you want to read more about Garret's story, I have attached a link to an article that Disability Scoop wrote about Garret late last year at the bottom of this post.

I mention Garret's story on this blog because it has inspired me to continue the advocacy work that Michelle, Sam, and I have started. I won't lie; until I read this story, there were days that I questioned whether I was doing the right thing, but it is the job of a journalist and blogger to share stories of triumph and challenges so that our audiences can learn from others. It is time that we celebrate a true champion like Garret Frey and amplify stories like his so that others can hear his story and maybe use it to find their way to make a difference. Although I did not start The Voiceless Minority blog with a healthy mindset, I'm glad to share Garret's story at this time and help my fellow members of The Voiceless Minority community reach their full potential. Until next time, your friendly neighborhood, reinvigorated, super advocate, Jay

 

Resources: https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2024/10/29/disability-rights-activist-pushes-government-to-let-him-participate-in-society/31135/

 

 

 

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