Memories of a Disabled Colleague Still Echo

摘要

When John didn't come down to breakfast on time and didn't answer his phone, Mark Cavalcoli knew something must be wrong. He and John traveled together often to client meetings and sometimes had to stay overnight at hotels. A hotel stay could be a nightmare for his colleague, who had become virtually bound to a motorized cart as a result of a two-decade battle with multiple sclerosis. Despite hotels' claims of being compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, John found many hotels and other public places still quite difficult to navigate. Light switches were sometimes impossible to reach. Inconsiderately placed furniture became impassable obstacles. Help was often out of reach if something went wrong. Waiting for John that morning, Cavalcoli didn't yet know that as John tried to get out of the bathtub, his cart seat jammed and he became stuck, unable to move, and unable to call for help. There was no phone in the bathroom and no button or emergency bell or any type of communication device. He simply sat there: trapped, wet, cold, and alone. It was fortunate that a hotel maid knocked on the door, and he was able to call out to her for help.