[Piano music] [Horse hooves and neighing] [Music continues] Strength Balance Control The human body can be simply amazing.

With over 650 fluid muscles working ♪ together in perfect harmony, movements seem graceful and effortless.

A remarkable symmetry of mind and body.

[trumpet] Precise to the smallest detail.

(Pat Rowe) I appreciate the skill involved and the grace, the timing of their movements.

In terms of myself, I'm resentful of my own body for not being able to pick up a cup with the same grace that that someone strumming a guitar exhibits.

[Guitar strums] I'm almost relieved when I can move a cup without spilling... [Glass shatters, music] [Music continues] (Dan Herbeck) Well the first time I ever encountered... it was just a name in a police report.

I was covering the police beat for the Buffalo News.

(Pat Rowe) Nobody plans it.

Nobody puts it in their datebook: things to do today... um, oh, I plan to die.

(Val Nigro) My Aunt Caroline, when ♪ she did become pregnant and did have Patrick, she was just elated and you know, her dreams were answered.

(Pat Rowe) She was good-hearted.

Loved me to death and um, she just wanted me very badly.

(Val Nigro) He was such a happy little guy, always laughing...

He had a lot of hair too very curly.

His mother just took such good care of him... the short time that she was there.

(Pat) My dad was a big man, he was a tough man, stubborn man, Irishman... big drinker.

(Val) ...and he'd say things to me like: I want you to be sure and eat your peas, they grow hair on your chest.

That was the favorite thing he'd say to me every time I was there he'd always come up with that.

(Pat) He was good to my mother when he's sober, but he was abusive when he was on an alcoholic binge.

He was in the construction business and that made... in contrast to me who was anything but the perfect son.

I apparently had the umbilical cord wrapped around my neck and that cut off the flow of oxygen to the brain which is one major cause of CP.

His legs were twisted and you, know his toes went in.

I think I was told that he probably would not be able to walk.

A lot of times I'm just fighting my own body.

My mother died, uh, of heart trouble when I was 13 months old.

(Val) After Caroline died, Pat's father Ted, took Patrick to Florida.

I understood that he had a sister there and that Pat was going to stay with the sister.

(Narrator) Instead, Ted packed up his infant son, moved to Florida and dropped off Pat at a group home.

Pat never saw his father again.

(Pat) I'm angry to this day for feeling left.

Left behind.

(Narrator) Soon after abandoning him, Pat's father died.

(Pat) Faded away.

He went into a drinking binge or something... and he died at my age of five.

(Narrator) While Pat felt abandoned, he was never forgotten.

(Pat) When I was four, my mother's sister, Joan, came and got me.

Grandpa and Grandma did go with Aunt Joan and Uncle Jim ♪ to Florida to bring Patrick back.

And I was invited to go♪with them.

(Pat) Joan had come down more than once.

She knew the conditions were not good and she knew she had to get me out of there.

Joan couldn't have children and she wanted a a child and wanted to keep me in the family.

(Narrator) Old home movies show how happy Pat's grandfather was to have Patrick back in the family that loved him.

(Pat) At the age of four she brought me from Orlando up... where I am now.

What little I know of Joan... she was very artistic.

I've got pictures of her in theater costumes and make up.

(Val) She uh, was the director of a theater group, and she traveled from city to city.

I think actually, while she was traveling was when she met Jim, whom she met married.

(Pat) In the beginning it was a threesome and as long as I was a little enough to carry and didn't require a lot of needs, it was okay.

(Narrator) As Pat grew his orthopedic needs grew and more demands were put on Joan's time.

(Pat) I sensed that Jim began to resent that.

(Narrator) Things soon started to unravel at his new home.

(Pat) Oh, I remember very well.

I remember Joan crying a lot, yeah.

He would be abusive.

He would take a strap to her... Why aren't you doing this?

Why aren't you doing that?

Why do we have to spend so much time with the kid?

(Val) I think, you know, he tried to be a good guy and um, things somehow didn't work out evidently.

And when he got really angry, yeah, a couple times, he took a belt to me and her.

But he, she, she took some real beatings from him.

Real beatings, yeah.

(Narrator) Eventually, Pat's Uncle Jim would walk out on them.

Just as Pat's father had walked out on him a few years back.

(Val) Patrick thought of Joan as his mother.

and she certainly thought of him as her son.

and she did everything she could to make his life better.

(Pat) She took me to museums and the zoo a lot.

She spent a lot of time with me, I must say, at doctor's offices, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapy... stretching my limbs... trying to prevent contractures because I had multiple contractures all over my body.

I went from a wheelchair at times, to the four-wheeled walker, to the two-wheeled walker.

I'd even tried crutches for a while but that was more hazardous to my health.

Aunt Joan, you know, just gave him so much attention, she had no other children and he just became her life!

CP can affect part of your body or it can affect your ent... your ability to speak, all limbs, or it can affect only one side of your body.

(Narrator) Muscle control and movement were difficult as Pat's muscles tightened with contractures.

(Pat) Your muscles are literally fighting your own body.

Because they want to pull back, not extend, pull back.

(Narrator) And depending on the severity of the condition, surgery may be prescribed.

As as it was for Pat.

(Pat) First initial operation was very scary.

(Narrator) To try and straighten Pat's terribly twisted legs.

(Pat) My legs were so crossed that my aunt could not ge... without a tremendous amount of difficulty.

(Narrator) At age six, another.

(Pat) ...more tendons in my legs.

(Narrator) And then, another.

(Pat) My toes broken and pins inserted in each toe.

I've had a very interesting orthopedic life.

(Narrator) And fortunately with each operation, Pat's mobility gradually improved, and his independence grew.

(Pat) ...and I woke up and my legs weren't crossed.

One was over here, one was over here.

Like I saw able body people.

I didn't like surgeries but I mean, with each successive surgery, I felt a little more normal, a little less odd.

[Bell clanging] (Narrator) When Pat was 9 years old, his world expanded when he came here... to Cradle Beach Camp.

(Pat) Coming here was a time of tranquility, relaxation and just to reflect on my life and the hardships others had gone through.

Swapping stories, good and bad.

Happy and sad.

I mean that was the whole gist of any social interaction.

And it's true whether you're disabled, whether you're mentally challenged, physically challenged.

If you don't have a chance to meet with your peer group, you will never grow as a human being.

(Narrator) Cradle Beach is a summer camp for disabled and disadvantaged kids.

It opened its doors over 100 years ago, and more than 50 years ago it began opening new doors for Pat Rowe and others.

Steve Truesdale was a Cradle Beach camper.

(Steve Truesdale) I loved Cradle Beach because when I got out there my entire status changed because it was accepted that I had a physical disability and everybody accepted it... (Counsellor) ...use your words, c'mon... (Steve) ...redefining what normal behavior is.

(Narrator) Cradle Beach is a place ♪ where kids learn from other kids.

Kids with similar challenges.

Cradle Beach was a revelation for Pat.

(Pat) Well, I mean, it shaped my life because I made lifelong friends... (Narrator) And Cradle Beach was the genesis for what would later become the most important achievement in Pat's life.

[Buckle clicks] (counselor) Alright?

It was here at cradle Beach that Pat played in his fi... Later he would form a team that was to be known as... the Silver Wheels.

(Pat) The very first game ever played .. [Music] (Narrator) Buffalo, New York is located on the eastern shore of Lake Erie.

(Dan Crapsi) It gets the brunt of the the winter storms once the Arctic air comes rushing down from Canada and it picks up the moisture from Lake Erie and dumps a lot of snow on Buffalo.

Most people think of Buffalo they think of a lot of snow.

(Jim Essenson) Buffalo is kind of a blue collar, work-a-day, hearty community... an unpretentious place.

People got up and they went about their business and t... And you know, it was a friendly place, I think.

(Dan Crapsi) When I was growing up there were car engine factories and oil refineries and chemical plants all along the lakefront there.

(Narrator) Buffalo prospered as an industrial city after World War II, but fell into economic decline during the 1970s & 80s.

(Pat) If you're from Buffalo, we're starving for something that's going right.

So when the bills made their Super Bowl run years ago, that made the whole town take pride.

We're a poor city and we're an old city in general.

(Narrator) One day, while shopping with his Aunt Joan or Mom as Pat now called her, he became uncontrollably upset.

(Pat) I just had this fear... what if Mom dies... and I was crying profusely and she's going what are you crying about, what's wrong?

And I go, someday you're going to die!

She goes don't worry about it.

I'm fine!

Well, it turns out, she wasn't fine.

My dad had written to me and told me about Aunt Joan's illness and how serious it was that she was dying of cancer, pancreatic cancer.

(Narrator) Joan's sister Jean and her husband Guido, agreed to care for Patrick while Joan was sick.

One day my Uncle Guido, yeah, in a rare moment of actual compassion, he said Pat, I got some bad news.

He said, your mom died.

And... he hugged me, and for Guido to hug anybody... it took a lot.

And I cried, like any 12 year old kid would cry, and I knew that Mom been sick, Aunt Joan had been sick and that she died.

She apparently talked to Jean and Guido about becoming my legal guardian.

I lived with them for about 7 years.

It was not easy for them, and it was definitely not easy for me.

You know, the neighborhood kids very often were at our house and we'd play football... and I can remember seeing Patrick kind of looking out the front door watching us.

You know, as a child thinking he must be enjoying watching us.

Look how athletic we are!

But not being able to empathize and say well my gosh, what what would I be thinking on the other side of that screen door.

Would I be saying y'know, I'd give anything to go out and do that.

(Val) Patrick was coming into a family with six kids.

The parents didn't have the time to give Patrick the kind... (Pat) As my needs became greater and demands on his time and... there was a greater resentment built up of going to teachers conferences, orthopedic clinics, surgeons, doctors.

I required more care and I felt like I was taking time away from my cousins.

they didn't verbalize it - but I felt the tension.

(Dan) My parents were the son and daughter of Ital... We had six kids, three boys three girls.

We lived in Williamsville.

In the suburbs.

You know, that was my father's probably biggest point of pride was moving from the inner city to the suburbs.

(Narrator) Pat lived with his Aunt Jean and Uncle Guido for most of his teenage years.

But he never felt loved by them.

(Dan) My father and my mother cared about Pat.

They took him in, they wanted him to do well.

(Pat) And repeatedly Guido said to me: you need us we don't need you, you need us we don't need you.

♪ He repeated it not just once out of anger but I heard it numerous times.

(Narrator) The relationship between Pat and this family deteriorated.

And despite a lot of good intentions, the strain would become too ♪ much between Pat and his aunt and uncle.

Around the time of his 18th birthday they all agreed it was time for Pat to move on.

(Pat) So they fish around.

They find some agency that'll take...

It was hard for my uncle Guido who had a bad back and no... and that was on a good day.

And I always felt like the center of the storm, directly?

towards the final months, yeah, once you leave, as far as we're concerned, you're dead.

And Guido told me this more than once.

Repeatedly, you need us we don't need you.

They did do a lot.

But nobody deserved to be talked down to like that.

Social worker comes over interviews me, I guess, interviews Guido.

A few weeks later they placed me in a group home with about 22 other disabled people... yeah, and that was, that was rough.

(Val) I'm not sure that the two of them really... because you know, they both had challenges.

Serious challenges.

(Pat) It was so odd leaving my aunt and uncle.

It was surreal.

It's like, is this happening?

Am I really going?

Never to see these people in all likelihood again?

Except at a funeral?

And that's exactly the way it turned out.

(Pat) Elementary School was my bigger taste of uh, the disabled world.

I went to school 84, which is still in existence.

At school 84 it was strictly disabled people.

But at the time I went in the 60s, there was no such thing like there is now of mainstreaming.

The mentally retarded were put in with the mentally non-retarded but orthopedica... (Val) My dad fought to have Patrick mainstreamed in a regular public high school.

So that he could be, so to speak, like everybody else and not be, you know, singled out as a handicap person.

(Pat) When I went to school here, yeah, in the late 60s this was all wooded area.

Now it's all obviously built up.

(Pat) They did want me to go to a regular high school, not to an inner city uh, vocational school.

And I was kind of surprised because Guido never gave me much encouragement.

That was a breath of fresh air.

I was new, I was confused but the people actually liked me.

There was a lot of stares, they didn't know what to make of me because I was the first disabled person they'd ever seen.

And I was a bit of a novelty... much like the two African-American students that were attending class.

They were cute, but let's not overdo this.

(Narrator) In high school Pat had an idea to play a wheelchair football game against able-bodied opponents.

The Faculty of Williamsville ♪ North High School accepted the challenge.

(Pat) See the whole premise behind Silver Wheels is that we play wheelchair football indoors, and we play on a basketball court and we ask our able-bodied opponents to know what it's like to be disabled for a few hours.

(Steve Truesdale) People in wheelchairs who might ♪ have a little bit of an advantage because they're used to their wheelchairs competing against people who may never have been in a wheelchair before.

Well you kind of have to modify the rules, sort of like they do like with arena football.

For example, you can use a standing quarterback but the quarterback who stands can't run with the ball.

[chuckle] (TV News Announcer) It's Saturday night and football... Members of the Silver Wheels take on players from the Cheektowaga postal station.

The game is a lot of fun but it also teaches people a lot ab... To show the public that handicapped people though they may be in wheelchairs do have abilities that go beyond their limitations.

We're trying to stress to the public how disability can strike anyone at any time.

The point of Silver Wheels was to be able to give people with disabilities a chance to socialize out in the neighborhood to be able to show not only us but the community that we were viable people that we could play a sport.

(Pat) I recruited all the kids I♪ went to grammar school with and I said I'm forming this team do you want to join.

(Narrator) Silver Wheels ♪ was born and Pat embarked on a lifechanging end.. [crowd cheering, ref whistle] (Steve Truesdale) If you're out there and you have a disability... you've had so many people tell you what your limits are.

You can't do this you can't do that.

But in creating the Silver Wheels did so specifically to break the bonds of what people were saying could and could not be done on behalf of people with disabilities.

People would actually sit in the stands with tears in their eyes at times when they watch these games, because some of the people that Pat had on his team were so profoundly disabled, they had to have people pushing them in the wheelchairs and that people would have to hand them the football and uh, but they... some of those people scored touchdowns and they were so excited.

You had cheerleaders in wheelchairs.

Push "em back, waayy back!

It was just it was just a real nice atmosphere.

(Clara Bomaster) Pat had these extra wheelchairs for them because it's a rough game.

And we can't expect them to damage the chairs that they have to to use every day.

I was, I think I was 12 or 13 and I met Pat while he was out at Cradle Beach Camp and a place like Cradle Beach, a place like the Silver Wheels are tools that you use, again, to expand your, your expectation of yourself.

(Narrator) Steve remembers his father's advice to learn and use his mind since he would never achieve in the physical arena.

(Steve) So develop your brain... 'cuz that's what you ♪ got to work with.

Well that would be most people's assumption that you're not going to achieve in ♪ the physical arena.

The Silver Wheels taught you exactly the opposite!

It taught you that you could ♪ still achieve in the physical arena, you could think of yourself as a football player, even if those rules changed a little bit, okay?

(Game Announcer) He's got an opening!

He's Going!

(Steve) Assumptions about what the disabled can do are not in line with reality.

(Clara) I went to the games.

I was selfish because I enjoyed them.

Before long I got to love each and every one of the players.

I felt like they were my son.

(Narrator) Clara Bomaster's son, Steven, played on the team for 30 years.

His CP caused mental and physical disability.

(Clara Bomaster) All the ♪ players, they were drawn to Pat and they wanted to do their best for him.

They wanted to play their best.

God took my feet he never took my desire to dance.

And I think that that is a ♪ lesson that needs to be taught to both sides of that equation; people without disabilities need to know that as much as people with disabilities need to know that it's acceptable to have those feelings of competition to want to express them.

Oh Steven... whenever he made a touchdown, (looking for words) he almost jumped out of his chair I made that touchdown!

he'll alternate with me.

When I'm not in there Jack will be in there... (Clara) Pat truly wanted to give them more hope in life, and feel more like they are a man.

He stressed to these young people nothing's impossible.

You can do it if you work hard at it.

And he certainly proved it.

They find a place in the phonebook, Child and Family Services Guido or Jean say can you take a disabled man, uh, 18, 19, with CP?

Where do you place a guy like that?

(Narrator) Just off Main Street in Buffalo, behind a Trico wiper blade plant, there was a group home, now boarded up, that Pat once called home.

And that was... that was hard, that was hard.

Because all these people ♪ were one way or the other rejected by somebody.

I knew that they were hurting.

They couldn't fit in socially or they were gay or they were not accepted because of their disability.

One guy was a a drug user.

He was put there because he was too rebellious.

Two women had learning disabilities.

Three women were retarded and were constantly being fondled by the higher functioning males.

(Narrator) From here on Pat would forever seek the family he never had.

And because Pat no longer lived with his aunt and uncle in Williamsville, he was forced to switch high schools.

Going from a white suburban school to this one in the inner city.

Kensington High School.

(Pat) I was trying to deal with my own coming of age ♪ with my sexuality my disability.

How do I fit into the bigger picture of life?

Where's my future going to be?

Am I going to live at this house for the rest of my life?

I didn't know.

Fights going on in the hallway.

People pulling knives on each other.

Police dogs coming in to sniff lockers.

A very thuggish atmosphere.

I knew a few disabled people, they showed me the ropes.

I kept my mouth shut and kept my head down.

My case worker's 10 years older than I am.

We're winging it together ♪ he doesn't know what to do with me.

Silver Wheels got me through a very bad year, yeah, socially.

I brought all my suburban friends, and we met at the group home and kept Silver Wheels going.

(Narrator) Pat endured his senior year eventua... (Pat) They hand me this piece of paper saying: Patrick Rowe had completed all the necessary requirements for his high school degree.

And that was it.

(Narrator) Today marks a new beginning for the Silver Wheels as a new group of volunteers and supporters are recruited.

(Pat) Hi how are ya?

Good, Good.

(Woman) Good.

How are you?

(Pat, inside) Okay.

The Silver Wheels football team is look... to rebuild their organization.

We're looking for players between 10 and 25.

Is anybody taking notes?, I hope.

Bear with me if I'm talking too quickly.

I'm looking to change attitudes about disabled people.

(Video announcer with music) Silver Wheels.

A football squad quite unlike any other in the area... (Pat) I've been at this since 1970.

This is our 36th year.

By playing against able-bodied people, we're spreading the word of ability versus disability triumphs all the time.

(Ron Canazzi) It was run by somebody who was disab... the basic day-to-day existence of disabled people of all sorts.

It's significantly different than a lot of say programs that were run by non-disabled people for disabled people within which many times, they wanted to show only the the highest functional people.

If you remember the context of the video, the most severely disabled person is always a center.

Not only literally but figuratively.

Because a lot of these people you see as center, they would never be involved in any team.

Because nobody would accept them as people.

And the people like BJ, with the most ability physically, he's the showman of the group (Volunteer) In the beginning the video you he had celebrities... Have you thought of doing that as like a big fundraiser?

Carol speak on that Coaches do not want their players in wheelchairs.

It's kind of like a ba.. (Narrator) For many years Pat's dedication would be the driving force that propelled the Silver Wheels.

But for as much as Pat has done for this organization, fortunately, he has not had to do it all alone.

(Volunteer) ...and then third I work in an office of about... and I got approval to do a memo with the article attached... but I'm also interested in helping.

at Silver Wheels meetings like ♪ this one new volunteers rev up to speed quickly.

(Volunteer) is just break up in little groups for 5 minutes ♪ and just get everybody's phone number so [Tango Music begins] (Pat) I'm sure you've all read stories about... young disabled person finds love with nurse.

She's overtaken by his strength, his rugged good looks and they fall in love and despite his disability they ride off into the sunset wheelchair and tow kissing and hugging and she dutifully takes care of him through the bad times and good.

They've adjusted to his new found status and they now live in Scarsdale with ♪ two kids and a Volkswagen.

That's a bunch of crap!

[Glass shatters] I had this illusion that if I maintain my independence and stayed in the workforce that I would be sharing my home with my wife or girlfriend.

That didn't work out.

That's not unique to me.

But the plan was if I could prove to ♪ some "Miss Right" out there that I was independent as possible with a home, a job, didn't have ♪ a prison record that I would attract someone.

[Drumming] (Narrator) Ron Canazzi is an accomplished drummer.

[Drum riff continues] Ron's opinionated.

Generally segregated education tended to be... (Narrator) Ron's intellectual.

of a somewhat inferior quality.

(Narrator) A weightlifter.

And Ron has a great memory.

Well I first met Pat I always remember the day.

It was Saturday, May 28th, 1977.

(Narrator) Ron's also a great admirer of Pat.

(Ron) We hit it off and it's over ♪ 30 years now and through thick and thin, through the good times and bad times.

(Narrator) Ron was born with ♪ congenital hereditary glaucoma.

(Ron) In those days it was 50s, they tried drilling holes... surgical holes... into the the eye to relieve the pressure.

(Narrator) But Ron's sight only got worse.

(Ron) So I did have partial vision 'till I was about 12 years, just before my 12th birthday.

(Narrator) and worse.

(Ron) You get what they call chronic .. (Narrator) ...and eventually... (Ron) It can become so acute and so painful that they eventually have to remove the eyes which they did from both of my eyes.

(Narrator) Ron's blindness at such a young age was even more painful because of the treatment he received from other kids, their parents and even teachers.

Teachers who equated his lack of sight with a perceived lack of intelligence.

(Ron) Yeah, to a degree lack of intelligence and I think perhaps even lack of ability to achieve anything.

In other words... Oh, he's blind.

He'll never amount to anything.

Why would you want to hang around with him?

[Car zooms past] (Narrator) Along the New York-Pennsylvania border, in the little town of Wellsville, New York, George Witter lives in this neat house.

George is a chaplain for the volunteer fire department.

George has known Pat for a long time.

(Pat) George Witter is very bright.

He's got cerebral palsy like myself.

He can walk.

(Narrator) Silver Wheels became ♪ an opportunity for kids like George Witter.

Kids from whom not a lot was expected.

Kids who had trouble fitting into groups at school.

(George) They'd look at you as if you're some kind o... ♪ don't get next to me♪or, they would cross the street to get away from me or to go around me.

To me... they all walked funny I walked normal!

(laughs) (Narrator) Although Pat was only slightly o.. George practically idolized Pat.

When Pat came into the room, into the class, it was like... Jim Kelly, Ralph Wilson and Thurman ♪ Thomas kind of all rolled into one coming in to recruit and to see us.

And we always considered us pretty much a nobody, you know, a nothing.

I went to inspire, recruit players.

Tell them that this is a team yes... and we play football yes.

But I'm trying to instill upon you once the game is over you've got to use whatever skills you do have and not focus on what you cannot do but try to focus on what you can do.

(George) Pat basically was a brother, father and coach all rolled into one.

Pat...

If you needed advice you know he'd give it to you (Player) You gotta rush!

If you needed some ♪ direction he'd give you that Heads up!

Heads up!

Heads up!

If you needed a chewing out you got that.

What's the flag for!?

And if you did something good he told you about it.

and he did it with compassion and heart.

He did it out of a love for you as an individual and as a team.

If I hadn't met Pat Rowe...

I probably would have been a dropout in school.

(Narrator) Pat wanted the players to win.

Because if we can win the game, we can also win in life if we apply our abilities.

(Inspirational music) (Steve Truesdale) Athena.

Take them and pull please.

Good girl.

(Narrator) Athena is Steve True.. She's named after the ancient Greek Goddess Athena.

A deity who represents wisdom, courage and protection.

(Steve) Pull, pull, pull, pull, pull.

Good girl!

Bring it here.

Good girrrrl!!

Oh, good girl!

(Narrator) Like Pat Rowe, Steve has CP.

Athena helps Steve in countless ways.

(Steve) Good girl!

(Narrator) Today Athena is in full protection mode.

Scrambling down the hallway of Steve's apartment building.

Pat you know where my apartment is?

(Pat) Straight back, right Steve?

Okay, straight all the way back.

(Steve - kidding) You're too bound up with conventions (Pat, chuckles) I'm just bound up I should"ve had more fi... (Ron) Bada-Boom (Narrator) Old friends get together and talk ab.. (Pat) ...because ♪ we're we're kept apart economically, socially... (Narrator) Bull sessions like this one are therapeu...

But of course they all remain frustrated by society's lack of understanding of their plights.

(Steve) My parents, my mother says why don't you come out... and spend the night.

I said well Mom you've got a downstairs bathroom the size of a ..

When I come to the house I use a urinal in the garage, and you don't have anywhere where I can shower.

So overnight becomes a little problematic.

And she says well, you know, your father can always help... or you can always use the use the garage or we can we could even, you know, help you bathe out back...

I'm like I don't want to bathe out back in the yard.

(Pat) Would they make this same silly statement toward y... No they wouldn't and and this is this is my point: it's about the mindset and it's about the ♪ expectations of the disabled.

(Narrator) Discussions like the one today reveal a lot... (Pat) Because we're so tied into the system we're supposed to be like the grateful crippled that, you know, for lack of a you know better way to put it where we're supposed to be happy with the social crumbs that fall from society's table.

(Ron) as long as people view us as a subgroup, as long as that's in the mindset of people it's going to be difficult to get, really get people to want ♪ to help change situation.

[Dry leaves rustle] (Pat)I went from living in a group home my senior yea..

Into Canisius living on campus.

Truthfully, I did not think I'd make it to college.

I thought I'd be channeled into working at Goodwill.

(Narrator) Located in Buffalo, Canisius College is known for both academic excellence and for teaching students the value of service to others.

My goals are pretty simple.

Stay in school, get good grades and try to get a sexual encounter.

(Gregorian pop music) I got good grades but I didn't have that sexual encounter.

(Narrator) Even so, Pat describes college as the best time in his life.

(Pat) Canisius was like opening a door and going: Welcome to a new life!

This is what life could be.

When he met my oldest son, Mike, who was only a few years younger than Pat, they complimented each other.

(Mike Ver Schneider) He had a terrific sense of humor.

He was a guy that really wanted to make people laugh and to enjoy life.

And I was a bit shy and withdrawn and so I kind of, you know, hung out with Pat, and that's a way that I kind of came out of myself and became a more social.

(Narrator) Pat became the Resident Assistant on his fl... (Mike) His first day when he gave his introduction he just said all the right things.

The guys loved them and then he opened the refrigerator and handed out beer, so [laughing] how much better can it get, you know.

so he was, he was a hit.

Pat was really like in a center of ♪ attention at Canisius.

He was a very popular guy.

For the first time in my life I was respected.

I was respected.

(Mike) We went out dancing and one of the guys, Jerry Kushman, was on one side of Pat and I was on the other side and we would just kind of make sure he didn't fall over and he would dance and the girls were lining up to dance with him so... he had a terrific time.

(Pat) I was equal.

For a brief 4 year period I was accepted.

And that previously didn't happen.

(Mike) We had several occasions where Pat dressed up as Grou... (Pat as Groucho) If I told you an his body, would you hold... (Mike) The girls like to, you know, ♪ be around him, he was a celebrity.

(Pat as Groucho) I never forget a face, but in your case I'll make an exception.

If I hold you any closer, I'll be behind ya... And for their Christmas gift, I gave the guys on my floor at marijuana.

I mean, it was illegal but it was one of the most enjoyable gifts I ever gave 20 guys on the floor.

It cost me most of my Social Security check, but it was wo... Because I was accepted.

I was, for one brief moment I was as high and as goofy as they were!

I transcended my disability.

I became one with them.

It was so important.

(Mike) This is Pat with moose head beer.

The secret of his success.

(Family chatter) I think that's after college he had a lot m... (Mike)That's one of one of ♪ Pat's girlfriends... he doesn't want to talk about that...[laughing] (Narrator) When the Ver Schneiders get together and l... Pat shows up prominently.

This is the brother Pat.

(Gene) Mike would bring Pat to our place, our home in Er... For holidays and special occasions and like that.

and we would go to Buffalo and go to some of the wheelchair games, and got involved as much as we could.

(Mike) ...It was really a 12 mile race, that several of... and I said, oh, I want to enter that, too.

as we were sitting around talking about it, [Surfer music] Pat jumped up and he said [Surfer music] I want to be in that race.

Well actually Pat said, use me as the baton!

And so we entered the race as a relay team.

(Pat) And they're running and I'm getting into the whole ba... and they're cheering me on: Go Pat!

Go!

And they're passing me along...

When we saw these guys coming, pushing Pat, we saw three♪ extremely exhausted guys... [chuckles] (Pat) It turned out the walker had rubber wheels.

The guys were standing ♪ on the back to save energy.

Using me like a scooter.

Pushing.

Standing.

Pushing.

(Mike) And when we got the baton, Pat, we started running, we realized how difficult it was to run... We get to the, like the 10th mile and [sniff] I started smelling something I go [sniff] Something's burning here.

[sniff] (Mike) His wheels had actually caught fire!

[chuckles] The rubber cau..

They were on fire.

Smoking!

So this happened about a ♪ quarter of a mile from the finish line.

So the guys picked Pat up on their shoulders and carried him ♪ in the rest of the way.

I went through a pair of tires.

But I was never so happy to see something burning in my life.

(Narrator) After college Mike and Pat continued th...

They became roommates ♪ in this house that Pat bought near Delaware Park.

(Volunteer) ...and the hardest thing was watching them leave because, you know everybody goes back to their lives in that, and when they were legitimately ♪ crushed to have to leave.

But when they came up and they thanked us for playing - no, no.

The thanks should have been the other way.

I mean we learned so much that I've used from that day on in a lot of facets of my life.

I think the hardest part about Silver Wheels is every once in a while there'll be a member that'll have health problems...

There was a couple members that I was really close with that passed away.

They're very able-bodied in their chairs but outside in r...

I mean, they face a lot of problems, so, there's kind of that side of them.

Pat made a comment to me that a lot of ♪ these players that you saw in the video today a lot of them aren't living anymore.

It's not just♪ the game.

It means the world to everybody to just mingle afterwards.

And talk and the camaraderie is great.

You know after the game ends, you know, a lot of these guys don't see each other until the next game.

They talk on the phone and that kind of thing but there's not a lot of... You know, on the weekend if I want to go see my buddy I just hop in the car and go, and a lot of these guys they can't do that.

(Pat) Traditionally the team has been all male.

I'd like to keep it all male if I can, not to be a sexist, but I realize a lot of our males, all they do is hang around mom or their sister or their dog or whatever.

So, this is the only way to male bond with other peer group members.

(Steve) You know, ♪ Pat took me out for my first legal beer.

(Narrator) Pat and Steve's friendship goes way back.

(Steve) ...on Elmwood Avenue.

(Narrator) And sharing a laugh is priceless.

(Pat) one the best nights of my life.

(Steve) ...we had a bunch of fun having well I think it was like my first through eighth legal beer if you want to know the truth.

(laughs) And a guy comes up to me at a bar we're both a little bit drunk and he says to me: "What do you have?

What's your disability?"

I said CP.

And he looked at me through bleary eyes and he said: "Cheese and pepperoni?"

and I said nah.

I felt♪ like throwing my arms around him and hugging him because there was no pretense.

You know, it's fun ♪ to watch people in a bar, who see me have a couple of beers and get up on my crutches, I used to walk on crutches, and they'd see me dance, and the light would come over their face like, my God he's just ♪ out here to have a good time!

(Pat jokes) When I do the same thing they think I'm having a seizure!

(Steve) As as is the same case with me... (music ends) (Narrator) A noted children's orthopedic surgeon held out hope .. Pat was already very familiar with him.

(Pat) I'd known the man 9 years about.

He did surgery on my hammer toes.

And that surgery went well.

Then I had some other surgery.

(Narrator) Those procedures over the years had improved Pat's mobility and outlook.

(Pat) We would joke around.

I didn't think of him as a doctor.

I thought of him as an older brother that purely had my interest at heart.

I was having pain in my left hip pretty bad.

and I was told that if I had this one orthopedic procedure the pain would be eliminated, my mobility would not be affected.

(Narrator) For Pat, this would prove to be a turning point in his life.

When I asked him what the consequences would be he kept reassuring me ah, don't worry.

I do this surgery all the time.

No big deal.

Pat went along with the surgery.

And the doctor did the surgery.

And then Pat was put in a rehab situation to rehab from the surgery and he never got better.

(Pat) I remember waking up and going: Oh boy.

This is the worst nightmare...

I could ever imagine.

I couldn't move a muscle.

Nothing moved on my waist like it used to.

Hips didn't move.

Knees didn't move.

Nothing moved!

It was appalling to hear what they had done to Patrick because he had made such progress with his mobility.

And I have pictures where he's standing with his ♪ walker you know just getting around so well.

(applause) (Announcer) ...and coach, Pat Rowe.

(applause) He no longer, after that operation, could walk.

He was in a wheelchair and it was a devastating thing for him because he had worked so hard to reach that level of walking.

And I think he had hoped that he could... you know, advance even further but the operation was a terrible setback for Patrick.

(Ron) Where he used to be able to use a walker and pretty much dress himself and put his shoes on and bend over and move around fairly well, you know, under those limitations, he now was confined to a wheelchair.

And he never seemed to be able to have either the balance or the control that he had with his hips that he had prior to the surgery.

After noticing that I wasn't getting better, basically told me... that, uh, well these things happen.

And it was no big deal.

(Narrator) By now, Patrick was living in the house he had bought near Dela.. and had several renters to share the cost.

My home became another obstacle, not a sorts of comfort, or joy or happy memories.

and I would come home in a rental wheelchair.

Nothing's accessible.

No grab bars on the walls.

No handicapped accessible furniture, showers or anything.

I liked this home, and yet I detested it because it was my newfound prison with a mortgage.

And as the paint peeled off the walls, so did my optimism about: Can I cope in this home?

Can I carry on a life?

From going from a walker to a wheelchair.

I had to readjust and recalibrate everything.

How I viewed myself.

How others viewed me.

I had to deal with whole gamut of life in a wheelchair as opposed to life in a walker.

I either had to reach out or I could have just said okay I'm going to just take a bottle of something and and poof!

Game over.

I would be just another vital statistic.

Handicap man couldn't cope, reason unknown.

And I did contemplate suicide.

(Ron) When he went for the rehab and it didn't get any better, then his mood changed from upbeat to, you know... bitter resignation I guess you would say.

Hey I got I got snookered on this whole deal.

Bert Lies said to me, well, I know it didn't quite turn out like we thought but if it's any comfort, I'll waive my fee.

And I thought... are you so insensitive that you think by waving your, fee whatever it was, will give me my mobility back?

it will not.

And while I'm contemplating life every day, I'm getting angry-er every day.

About my new found medical state of immobility, my new dependence on others and my long-term psychological thought: I'm going to be less of a man than I was when I went in to the hospital.

And that's a lot to deal with.

When someone stands, they're literally looking down upon me.

I felt that I was being looked down upon, literally and figuratively.

And my intelligence didn't measure up.

And my personality was lowered.

The anger made me get up and get into the wheelchair.

And say okay you got two choices here.

You can just give up your job, go totally on the system get on welfare... Or you can get in the wheelchair, go to work.

Try to resume life as you knew it.

Carry on with your life.

With the burden of a new disability, and a new layer of bureaucracy namely Medicaid.

So I chose the latter.

[Clock ticking] (Clara) See, here's my son Steven, playing in the game.

(Pat) When I was putting together the Silver Wheels football team I came across Steve Bomaster.

(Clara) Here's Steven with one of the cheerleaders from our team.

(Pat) Steve is confined to a wheelchair.

(Clara) This is a Sabertooth.

with CP and he's got other conditions.

I did not know that he along with myself were both patients of Bert Lies.

(Narrator) Ironically, Steve Bomaster joined the Silver Wheels team after hip surgery, performed by Dr.

Lies.

God helped anybody that ever gets involved ♪ with him, that's how I felt.

His surgery didn't go as planned.

Steven also had that surgery too, that they were supposed to be able to walk.

Stevie before he had this the surgery, like Pat, was able to walk with a cane or a walker.

And then after that surgery he was in the wheelchair.

I had anger.

I had...

I just couldn't...

I was so frustrated.

(Game play) Hike... (Clara) This is where they get you.

♪(Game play)...

Here we go... (echoing) They, they tell you... well we're going to do the surgery we're not going to guarantee it.

But he should be able to walk after.

So naturally you're going to take the chance on that surgery 'cuz you want your child to walk.

Well, as it turned out, it was worse and, he didn't walk.

It was hard.

This man, in his way, gave us hope and took it away from them.

(Pat) Steven was not able to articulate, because of his mental retardation, his level frustration.

All he knew is: Mom I can't walk.

Mom I can't do this... [Game play and music] [Referee whistle] [Applause] [music] (Pat) Well I get up at 5 o'clock and just crawl on a bed.

I have to rely on personal care aids to help me get dressed.

(Sheila) This is when I worry about him.

Whether he's fallen... 'cuz he doesn't have a lot of backup system there.

H e l l o.

[Buzzzzzer] Do it again [Buzz] Pat.

[Buzz] You know Pat it's locked.

[Buzz] [Buzz] Shoot, somebody locked this.

Okay.

[Buzz] (Pat) H EL LO O O O!

(Shelia chuckles) (Sheila) Drugs are kicking in, aren't they.

[Laughs] I have no family in the area and it's very hard.

Because the aides have turned into, um, my major source of social interaction.

(Sheila) ...we had the babies all weekend, 'cuz Matt's sister was in that car accident... (Pat) Yeah.

I let the aid in around 5:30.

Typically the the aid will come in and he or she will help me get dressed.

[Electric shaver buzzing] Now we practice the Stevie Wonder ♪ way of grooming.

(Pat) I've got one hour.

'cuz I get picked up by a van service at 6:30, which I pay for myself, so I can go to work.

And in that hour I've got to get dressed, shaved.

[Indistinct chatter] Eat a minor meal.

Pack a lunch.

(Sheila) Fresh fruit.

[stirring coffee] (Pat) I do an 8 hour day.

I'm a full-time worker but I only work 4 days.

I've been using a vacation day or personal leave day every week.

Because my stamina isn't what it should be.

(Sheila) Any of this stuff ya need?

(Pat) uh, the cough drops if you would, hon.

To help me to breathe later.

(Pat) Okay, I gotta brush my teeth now.

[water running] I arrive to work at 7 o'clock.

My normal start time is 8 o'clock.

I put in a regular work day 8 to 4: I'm supposed to be picked up ♪ at 4 o'clock, but invariably they're late.

[pill bottle top - POP] (Sheila) Oh, you going to take♪- take it.

(Pat) Yeah.

(Sheila) You want water?

(Pat) Here, it's right there.

[light clicker = CLICK] (Sheila) Why am I smelling Tuna fish?

(Pat chuckles to himself)) Well, it's my cologne... (Pat) Thank you, dear.

(Sheila) You're welcome (Narrator) Sheila is one of Pat's ai.. (Sheila) I've been with Pat on and off for about 10 years.

[Door close] He's unique.

He's not like most clients.

Because he's a steady client.

We don't have a lot of people t... That live in the home and go to work.

(Tom) Hi Pat.

It's Tom.

(Pat) Oh, Tom how are you.

My God.

(Tom) I'm good.

(Pat) Good to see you.

♪ (Tom)They did the old switch-a-roo today.

(Pat) My God.

(Tom) I haven't seen you in ages.

(Pat) How's your daughter?

(Tom) She is good, yeah.

Thanks for asking.

(Pat) yeah good.

(Tom) She's doing good she 19 now.

(Pat) Very good.

Tom, just make sure the door's shut if you would.

(Tom)... Hey, you're not taking that cane right?

(Pat) No, no.

No, no.

(Tom) Shut that door okay.

It's locked.

(P.. (Tom) How you been?

(Pat) I'm doing okay.

(Tom) I haven't seen you in a long time.

(Pat) I know.

I thought you quit the company.

(Tom) Okay up we go.

(Pat) Alright.

(Tom) Beam us up, Scotty ♪ (Pat) Yes.

(Pat continues) Typically it's - I get home, I, I get settled and I get washed up or whatever I may get a drink of water or something.

And then I wait for the aid to come at 5:30.

And once the aid is here, I'm sort of locked into engaging myself with the person that's in my home.

(Tom) Okay.

and [seat buckle CLICKS] [Rhythmic music begins] (Tom) Locked and loaded.

Okay.

(Tom) All systems are go.

[Lift motor hums] [Door slams] [Music continues] (Narrator) Sarasota Florida; Home to beautiful white sand beaches, cloudless blue skies, Spectacular sunsets... is also home to Jim Essenson.

(Jim) I met Pat in... probably in 1980.

I was sharing space with some attorneys in Buffalo at the time.

I had just gone out on my own.

And Pat... was trying to get the Silver Wheels football, to be a tax exempt organization so they could solicit contributions.

(Pat) I come home.

I find myself struggling to use the bathroom.

I never had that problem before.

Struggling to put on my clothes.

I could do that prior to the surgery.

Now, coming home, needed grab bars, needed a wheelchair, needed a ramp.

(Ron) Certainly I told him, I said gee, you know, at the very least you would think you would be able to get some type ♪ of malpractice suit of some sort here.

I wanted to sue Bert Lies, and I consulted with Essenson about bringing suit.

(Narrator) Pat had written a letter to Dr.

Lies asking... (Jim) So we started to look at the possibility of what we call an informed consent case.

This was the early 1980s, probably the dawn of informed consent as a - what we call cause of action in law or as a legal claim.

and we started to look into that and as part of that I served a pre-suit subpoena on Dr.

Lies to obtain his, Pat's, medical records.

Painful psychologically.

I remember sweating profusely ♪ just trying to get on the bathroom toilet, and getting off, off of it.

And asking my roommate with epilepsy can you help me.

And that poor man could barely help himself, let alone help me.

His world got really difficult, as a result of losing the little mobility that he had.

And I think had he known that this was a risk of the surgery he likely would have declined it.

It's bad for anybody... but when you're used to one level... and you're made worse... it's terrible.

They had him psychologically evaluated trying to say he was unstable.

It was obvious, to him anyways, that it was...

They were trying to preclude the possibility that he might sue them.

Sue the doctor in particular.

(Narrator) After Dr.

Lies operated on her son Steven, Clara Bomaster also wanted to sue.

So she consulted a lawyer.

(Clara) The lawyer said that it would do no good because that one little phrase: He might walk.

And he said you have to listen to everything they say and weigh it.

which you just somehow don't because you hear he might walk you think, I'll try it.

But we didn't realize it"d make the condition worse.

[Derisive laugh] All all I know is that he had to had this ♪ hip surgery because it shift.. and they had to put this body cast on him to separate the legs and force the hip to go into place.

I don't know the medical terms for it.

(Jim) The concept of informed consent is that the patient has not been fully apprised of the risks of the procedure ♪ that's about uh, uh, to be performed upon them.

Therefore even if they're consenting to it, if they don't have enough information, then they're not giving what we would call an informed consent.

I don't know... like I say he was in and out of the hospital so many times...

I get confused.

(Jim) Pat... was devastated by the negative results of the hip surgery that Dr.

Lies performed.

He went from being relatively self-sufficient, he was able to ambulate in a walker... and that was a huge setback.

He just did not anticipate that the result would be so bad.

And that he would be so... maimed, really... and injured by the results of the surgery changed.

He he didn't know where to turn or what♪ to do.

I mean he'd been active all his life up to the limitations... And certainly in Pat's case he wanted to know specifically since he was relying on, his whole life, was dependent upon his ability to ambulate in a walker.

He specifically wanted to know from this physician how is this procedure going to affect my ability to ambulate and my mobility.

♪ I think the word he used was mobility.

And I learned that Pat had written a letter to Dr.

Lies specifically asking him how the surgery would affect his mobility.

And Pat felt that he never got a satisfactory answer from Dr.

Lies or got an answer that said everything would... you know, I trusted Pat and certainly my experience with Dr.

Lies, my personal experience with Dr.

Lies, suggested to me that Pat was probably telling the truth and the doctor might not tell the ♪ truth.

But I I don't know that for a certainty.

[radio announcer] "First down play from the West 32..." (Pat) And Bert Lies got wind of the suit and went on♪... and tried to literally get my friend disbarred.

(Jim) Well sometime after I issued the ♪ subpoena to obtain Pat's records from Dr.

Lies, I got a letter from the Erie County Bar Association, indicating that Dr.

Lies had made a complaint against me.

(Narrator) One day when Pat needed a ride to ♪ the doctor's office for a follow-up visit, he asked his friend for a ride.

Jim Essenson a lawyer by trade obliged.

The doctor invited Jim into his office during Pat's consultation.

The doctor later filed a complaint.

(Jim) In the complaint, Dr.

Lies alleged that I had told him that I was a social worker in order to gain access to what would otherwise have been... interview between the patient and the doctor.

That of course was a lie.

Well, at the time I was a young man.

And just starting out in the practice.

And, I was on my own.

I had a solo practice.

And I had to hire a lawyer.

I had to get a... you know, have a court ♪ reporter.

I had to attend a hearing.

And finally, the doctor recanted his written statement.

Still, looking back, it was a difficult case but had some interesting elements to it that you know, might have inspired the right lawyer to take a shot at it.

He was not successful in taking ♪ the doctor to court because of the cost.

It would have been, the financial cost, would have been♪$1,000 a day for a medical doctor to testify.

And Pat could not come up with it and we could not come up with the money.

(Jim) I did attempt, after I moved to Florida, to get some colleagues in Buffalo to look at Pat's informed consent case.

You know, he had certainly what we call in law prima facie case, I thought, for informed consent.

The key was to get someone to take it and fund it.

And at some point I had to go on with my life, and Pat was not able to find a lawyer who would take that case.

And if we could still take ♪ him to court at this day and age, I would.

[Gentle waves] (Steve to Athena) Walk to my right.

Walk.

Right.

(Narrator) Steve Trusdale had the ♪ same procedure by the same surgeon that Pat says maimed him; but with entirely different results.

(Steve) Athena walk.

There are two camps, in and around this local area.

My perception of him was much, much, much different than the one everybody else seems to carry.

(Steve) Wait.

follow.

Thank you.

(Man) You're welcome.

I always found Bert to be very competent.

He always spoke to me as an adult, which I really enjoyed because I only knew him when I was 12 and up to 15.

And he always sat me down and talked ♪ to me as an adult.

And he always made me understand what he was going to do and he always told me ♪ hey look there's a danger this might not work.

Pat said I think he's the devil and you know, and I said, geez I don't know.

(Narrator) Dr Lies declined requests for an interview.

He stated that the surgery was ♪ successful since Pat no longer experienced pain in his hips and now "sits well".

I know I swore by Dr. Bert Lies ... and I know everybody else swears at Dr. Bert Lies.

[Music] [Music] (Dan) Let me know when you're ready to get some help there.

[Music] (Pat, struggling) (Dan) All right... (Pat, joking) Loading the cannon.

(Dan) Fire in the hole.

(Pat) Fire in the hole.

(Pat) Loading the cannon (Dan) Okay.

(Dan) Feet are in.

(Pat) While I'm down here sir, do you want me to check under .. [Chuckling] (Dan) Comfortable?

[Laughing] (PAT) Do I look comfortable?!

I'm in a freaking wheelchair.

I got bad hips!

Yeah, I'm comfortable!

It's all relative.

(Dan) All right can ♪ you pull yourself up?

(Pat, laughing) Only with the better education.

[Laughing] [Door closes] [laughing] (Pat, out of breath) Oh my God.

Who needs gymnastics.

Just do that ten times a day.

It's a lot of work to do... and it's not fun.

I need a cigarette.

[Chuckling] Was it good for you?

[Music continues, car driving] [Music ends] [Precipitation pitter patter] (Ron) Pat, the job he has, I guess he works for the state.

And it's a steady job, and it makes him an income but with his organizational capability I know he always would have hoped by this time to h... you know, a little better... or a♪ significantly better... position of some sort.

(Pat) I work in the business office of the Buff...

I stress that I work in the Psychiatric Center.

Often times the new staff thinks I'm a client that just wandered away from the ward, and is playing with paper.

And I've gotten some strange looks like: (patronizing voice) Are you away from program or something sir?

Just the other day, I had a driver literally say to me, do you work here or are you a psych patient?

In front of my supervisor!

My supervisor looked at him like what are you talking about?

But this driver, he had this preconceived notion that anybody in a chair also must have some judgment impairment or psychiatric disorder.

I do travel vouchers.

Anyone that travels, I reimburse them.

They go to conferences, they submit forms, I reimburse them.

it's a job.

It's a state job with benefits.

I'm there for the people... and everybody works because they have to make a living.

But I do need, quite frankly, social interaction.

I've had co-workers say to me, when I first started my present job 28 years ago, you're taking a job away from an ♪ able-bodied person.

Why are you doing this?

Why don't you just sit home?

Watch TV and let ♪ the system take care of all your needs?

Cooking, cleaning.

You won't have to battle the elements.

You won't have to deal with anything.

You sit in front of the television or the compu... and society will take care of you.

But the same people that may say that, may be going, I know this person could do more.

Why isn't he or she working?

(Ron) Generally speaking, disabled people are underemployed.

I mean even when they have steady jobs.

My opinion is that, what I've seen, that they usually work at jobs for which they are overqualified.

(Narrator) Silver Wheels changed the ♪ lives and fortunes of countless people.

Pat was a tireless worker, organizer and coach.

He received many accolades for his leadership...

Such as the Buffalo City Citizen of the Year.

(Dan Herbeck) At our paper it's considered a v...

I called him and he he was very moved by it.

But what he really wanted, was people to get out and help people like him.

[Applause] And I am speaking... of a new engagement in the lives of others.

A new activism... (Narrator) In 1988, President George Bush recognized the many volunteers who ♪ make America a better place.

I've spoken of a thousand points of light of all the community organizations that are spread like stars throughout the nation do... (Narrator) And in 2001, President Bill Clinton recognized Patrick as one of those prestigious daily poi... (Pat) And I'm honored to receive it for a body work of helping the disabled.

(Narrator) But more important than the awards was the influence ♪ Pat had on so many lives.

(Clara Bomaster) You had to see the enthusiasm in them, and to see how proud they were that they were being an athlete.

That they were playing football.

And to them that meant the world.

(Pat) At the end of June we would have an awards luncheon.

I'd make sure every player and volunteer would receive some recognition in plaques or something like that.

(Clara) We had one young man and he had several brothers and sisters.

And at the one awards dinner, we gave out trophies.

And he grabbed his trophy, and he says, you know... all my brothers and sisters came home with trophies.

Now I got one to take in and ♪ put on the mantle.

And you had to see the pride in his face...

It brought tears to everybody.

(Narrator) Jim Essenson was recognized for his le... contributed to help Silver Wheels attain 501 c3 status.

he was given a recognition plaque in 1981, it remains on his wall to this day.

(Jim) I keep it up there for me.

Because it reminds me of Pat, and the work that he did and does and the way that those kids looked up to him as an inspirational figure.

Y' know it... well maybe ♪ it's hedonistic it makes me feel good, to look at that plaque and you know, think about Pat and Silver Wheels football.

(Pat) I was given in July of 2000 the proclamation by... of being Pat Rowe day where they recognized over 30 years of working with the disabled, also a treasured point of recognition.

I'm gratified in the awards.

The awards leave a footprint of where I've been.

They're also a source of pain to me because I will never see many of those volunteers again.

Many of those members have since passed away.

With every award I'd like to turn them in and bring a past loved one or player back to life.

(Pat on phone) Okay.

You broke up.

Oh no...

I've had a couple ♪ really good volunteers, but the bulk of them came and went.

(Pat on phone) Okay, what's her number?

Chet.

(Pat) I've got more to give, but I have no way to meet my own needs.

So I'm looking for volunteers.

We're not going under, but quite frankly, we're in a state of limbo right now, and that ways heavily on my mind.

(Pat continues) People fail to realize the tremendous amount of energy that that all disabled people have to put forth just to do the most mundane things that most people do... (Dan Crapsi) You know, for Patrick, everything takes a long time.

Dialing the phone... takes a long time.

(Volunteer) Can we just review that one more time so when we type it up we can... (Dan Crapsi) To call a volunteer so that they could f... and then transport a dozen kids, and get the wheelchairs there, and get the insurance signed, and collect the money so that the van driver could get paid, and then order the pizza and then give ♪ a plaque to the challenging team, and trophies to the the kids that played... all of those things were for an able bodied person it would be a big task and for somebody that the the smallest ♪ movement is difficult was monumental.

(Volunteer) The team, whatever sport was practicing tonight, they're probably not going to be there... (Narrator) These volunteers play a key role in the Silver Wheel's success.

(Volunteers chatting) ...Oh, is that what it is?

Yeah.

She got 'em all in her van... (Volunteer struggles) Oh boy...

There we go!

Okay.

(Narrator) One volunteer, named Edgar Bartleson, became very close to Pat.

Although able-bodied, Edgar had a disabled sister ♪ who was a cheerleader for the team, so he agreed to help out.

(Pat) And I trusted him enough to make ♪ him an assistant coach.

(Ron Canazzi) Uh, seemed like a very mild-mannered friendly guy.

I talked to him for about five minutes, and Pat was telling me that he was a good volunteer.

He told me once he thought ♪ of me as a brother.

(Narrator) Pat and Edgar would become very close friends and work together for the next 3 years.

(Pat) We'd share pizza and a beer and you come over socia... you know, just shoot the breeze ♪ about life and what his goals were.

(Ron) He would help with loading and unloading equipment.

He was not disabled of course.

(Volunteers) And Go!

(Ron) ...and he would help push the kids aro.. in the wheelchairs... that were ♪ a little less functional... and move them around.

and I had talked to him, let's see, on... they had a dance, their annual kind of a dance, pizza party thing... uh, it was on the 19th of October, that, it was a Saturday, I believe, that and I had talked to him very briefly.

At the luncheon he would often receive special mention and a plaque for his involvement in Silver Wheels.

(Narrator) But Pat and Silver Wheels were not the only things on Edgar's mind.

Although only 19 years old, Edgar was the primary ♪ caregiver for his disabled sister.

(Pat) I could relate to his sister because he had the same condition as I did, and she was just a nice person.

She was a cheerleader.

(Cheerleaders) Push 'em back!

Push 'em back!

Waaayy..

He was the primary person that lifted her or assisted her with personal care needs, which the mother could not do.

He... had to help out way too much.

And he wanted to leave and get away from his mother, from the way I understand it.

[Footsteps] I went downstairs, like I usually do on that particular day, in lifting weights.

It was the 7th of November of '85 I believe.

It was a Thursday, I think, yeah.

(Weight rattle ...) Turn on the radio, like I usually do when.. (Radio tuning) At the local station WKBW I hear: (Ron with "radio voice") At the top of the news tod... disabled Buffalonian, fights for his life!

(Record skratch) it came over the uh (Static) TV (Telephone ringing) My parents called me.

[Sigh] I was in seminary, in DC... (Bell note sustains) (Bell note sustains) Uhhh... (Bell note sustains) (Searching for words) and I was just...

I was just blown...

I...

It that was like unbelievable.

I was on one of the exer...

I almost ♪ fell off the exercise board in just shock!

I... God.

What the hell happened?

didn't know what to do.

I, I, I, it, it, it makes me angry on all kinds of differ... (Dan) It just broke my heart to hear about this.

It was unbelievable anyone would do that.

Because it happened to a friend, and as somebody with a disability... it could happen to me.

[Tense music] [Doorbell] Ding Dong (Pat) I hear the doorbell ring.

[Doorbell] Ding Dong, Ding Dong (Pat) It was pitch dark.

It was cold.

(Dan Crapsi) It was about midnight, according to the police reports.

It took him a while I'm sure, to lift himself up and get himself into a chair.

(Pat) I crawled bed.

Crawl into the wheelchair, answer the door.

(Dan) And it was a fairly large house, and he had other people sharing it, paying rent.

[Door buzzer] I buzzed him.

I had an intercom and I asked... who is it?

When I asked him what he wanted he said his buddy's car ran out of gas, could he use my phone.

I had no reason to fear him.

I let him in.

I was in my pajamas.

Tenants are fast asleep upstairs.

helps me back in the bed.

Doesn't say a lot.

I asked him how is he doing... he was unusually quiet.

He asked if he could get a drink of water.

♪ Didn't, did not go for the phone to call anyone.

it was pitch dark.

He goes into my kitchen... he was not going for glass.

I didn't know what he was doing.

But he was rummaging through my silverware.

[Flatware clinking, rustling] He comes back quiet.

He was standing real close to me over the bed.

I was lying down flat on my back.

All of a sudden...

I felt... [Thump] a steak knife quickly t.. And I said: what are you doing?!

And he kept slashing away.

Left arm, right arm, chest.

Both wrists were slashed.

I tried to fight him off.

I kept asking him, why are you doing this?!

(echo) What are you doing?

All he said is... while he's stabbing.. (Cheerleaders echo) Push 'em Back.

Push 'em Back!

(Cheerleaders echo) Waaayyy Back!

(Echo) My sister's been a brat!

(Echo) My sister's been a brat!

(Pat continues) That made no sense.

As he's stabbi.. "My sister been a brat!"

(echo) "My sister's been a brat!"

Meanwhile this man who I had known, young man, who said he loved me, was trying to kill me!

He gets his full body weight on top of me.

it's pitch dark.

I can feel, with each knife wound ♪ going in, I can feel a little oxygen and blood spewing out.

I literally heard the blood trickle out of my body like a faucet that was left dripping.

[Drip drip, drip, drip, dripping] [Police siren] [Somber Music] I was in my dorm, my parents had called me on the phone, and they told me you know, something to the effect of Pat, um, was attacked he ♪ was stabbed 23 times.

He's alive, but he's in the hospital, you know, would you like to visit?

And I said of course.

For quite a while we didn't know if Pat was even going to make it or not.

He was in a bed and you know, he was taped to a lot of things... machines... but he just seemed so small and fragile.

He tried to smother me, while stabbing me...

I remember thinking, that I wanted to go and get the guy.

After the last step wounded I said, okay, you're going to die.

Straight up, you're going to die.

I wonder how we can work this so that I, you know, so that I can get a group up and we can go do this and we can get away with it.

[Police radio chatter] (Kate Moran) They treated it as a homicide when the people arrived on the scene, [Bell chimes] when the police arrived.

[Bell chimes] (Pat) Well nobody plans it.

♪ Nobody puts it in their dayb..

Things to do today... uh, oh, I plan to die.

He was black and blue and bandaged and puffed up and... you couldn't even see his eyes.

I mean he was...

I couldn't believe it was Pat.

(Pat) Okay God, it's up to you.

I'm not going to fight him... so I just figured if I shut up...

He thrust the knife into my chest a couple more times, yeah, coming close to my heart, I found ♪ out afterwards...

He punctured a lung, punctured my spleen, slashed both wrists... um yeah, and it was a medical mess.

When my mother called and told me about it I was just shaking just, trembling and uh, I was just so horrified and wishing that I could do something, you know, and what I did do, as soon as we hung up, was to call the uh, prayer chain and just ask for prayers for him because...

I didn't know what else we could do.

And then I just lay quietly and...

I did not want to entertain the thought that anything, that we would lose him.

I just...

It made me so angry because with Pat and his physicality you could have taken Pat placed him on the floor, robbed his house stem to stern, left and he wouldn't have been able to do a damn thing.

Yeah, he turned on the light, found the keys, quickly turned off the light and I heard him yeah, make a be line for my front door...

Instead Ed chose to take out a knife and stab my friend to the point where he was on the verge of dying, steal his car and he didn't get too far at all.

[Music] [Cars on thruway] (Pat) Then I heard the car drive away.

And I knew ♪ he had taken the Silver Wheel's vehicle and he headed to Florida, I found out later.

Patrick was left for dead is what he told me, and uh, he just lay very still.

This would have been the perfect ♪ opportunity to to say: Okay Lord, I gave it my best shot.

I can just lie here in my own blood, and just peacefully pass away.

(Gene) Neil Ver Schneider.

he's a Jesuit priest.

(Gene) My brother came and gave Pat Rowe the last rights.

Yeah, and that would be my perfect way out of this what had been a very, um, hard life.

When you have a disability I'm not jealous of anybody but I certainly do recognize ♪ that there are people walking on the streets when I can't walk on the streets.

They can jump in a car and I can't jump in a car.

They can do all the things that they can do and I can't... and you learn to live with that.

But somebody takes all of those things which you begin to see as gifts, and they say that's not enough.

I want more and I want it off the back of somebody ♪ that's been helping me out now for 5 years.

That's invited me into their home, that's made me a part of their family and a part of their experience.

I was so angry.

The only reason I lived I found out later was the steak knife used in the attack had broken and he simply ran out ♪ a knife to stab me with.

They found half of the knife on the floor covered in blood under the bed ♪ at the crime scene.

(Steve) What Ed did broke all sorts of...

It broke all sorts of barriers in in a bad way.

You're not supposed to do that.

This would have been a perfect vehicle or license to die.

But I... Something inside of me said you can die now or you can get up... if you can get up... and try to get the the phone.

And you're needed because the team needs you.

The kids need you.

And that was my big reason to get out of a blood soaked bed.

I remember the local newscaster saying: (Pat in announcer voice) "Disabled man clings to life.

Attacker still at large."

I heard this as I'm going in and out of ♪ consciousness in the hospital room and friends around me weeping.

(Narrator) Ed Bartleson escaped to Miami, Florida where his sister lived.

She called the Miami Police when she learned what happened, but they released her brother, since no arrest warrant had been issued by the Buffalo police.

And after I regained some level of consciousness and can put coherent sentences together, the police are questioning me: Was this a drug deal?

Were you lovers?

What was your relationship to this man?

I told him he was a volunteer, couldn't figure out the motive.

(Narrator) Eventually, Ed Bartleson was finally ♪ returned to Buffalo to answer fo.. (Dan Herbeck) He told the judge that he was out of control when he did this, that he considered Pat a friend, but that drugs had totally taken over his life.

And the judge told him that that really was no excuse for what he did to Pat.

(Pat) ...And he was very somber ♪ looking down.

He didn't make eye contact with me.

The judge said, we realize Mr. Rowe the trauma of your situation, but for the record we require that you make a public statement as to the severity of ♪ your attack and your recommendations for sentencing.

I can barely speak, beyond a whisper.

I can barely get any air into my lungs.

I'm wheeled in by two members of The Crime Victims Support staff.

No relatives.

No friends.

Meanwhile, directly behind me was all of his family.

In a very timid voice I said: I'm very physically hurt, psychologically hurt that somebody that claimed to love me like a brother and respect me, could allow this to happen and an attack of this nature should not be taken lightly and I urge you, judge, to give my attacker the maximum under the law.

And that was it.

I was petrified.

I was shaking beyond belief.

I was angry, I was scared at the same time.

All of his relatives were sobbing, whispering behind me.

(Narrator) Patrick never again ♪ spoke the name of his attacker.

Edgar Bartleson.

(Pat) I was high and crack, and in my defense, how bad a person could I be if Mr. Rowe gave me awards recognizing my devotion to him.

Well the judge says, this is your first brush with the law...

The charge went from attempted murder to first degree assault.

[Gavel bangs] Upon hearing the sentence, 18 years in prison, sighs go out from his family in back of me.

I hear a thud in the background.

His mother, she fainted.

She was holding that onto her daughter's ♪ wheelchair so tightly that she literally tipped over her daughter.

And I'm thinking to myself... give me a freaking break here.

I'm the crime victim and she's making out like she is the traumatized one.

The sister is yelling I hate you Pat!

I hate you!

I was conflicted with so many feelings.

It was a mess, a mess.

Psychologically, physically, a trauma beyond belief.

(Narrator) Edgar Bartleson agreed to a ♪ plea bargain sentence of 18 years.

He served 12 years.

Six years were forgiven for Ed's good behavior in prison.

(Pat) I felt the sentence was way too lenient, given...

Here I'm stabbed 23 times, I thought it would be equal justice if he was given one year for every stab wound.

That would have been fair.

But I wasn't doing the sentancing.

And it was his first offense.

but it was a big one.

(Narrator) Patrick says he could not get a good night's sleep in the room in which he was almost murdered.

So, he sold his house in Buffalo and moved to a suburb.

[High energy music] (Game announcer) Touchdown Silver Wheels!

(Player) Yeah!!

(Narrator) Although Silver Wheels opened many... for people like Steve Truesdale... (Steve announcing) Quarterback looks, looks, He going long... (Narrator) Many doors remain shut.

(Steve) What I've always felt, is that society, community, is much more comfortable with us when we do stay home and eat our tomato soup and our you know our happy... ya know... (Pat) Happy meal... (Narrator) For these men, society can be very dehumanizing.

Pat recalls the lack of respect shown students at his Elementary School.

School 84.

You guys used to tell me how they'd pull you out of class and parade you half naked or naked in front of a bunch... to show now this is a spinal bifida, this is ♪ a cerebral palsy, this is a whatever.

(Pat) Many times they took us out of class and literally I was put in a diaper and asked to walk in a walker so they could videotape my ambulation techniques.

(Narrator) And disability stereotypes exist on many levels.

(Steve) I wanted to bring this up because to me it's so cl...

This is Share-a-Smile Becky or the Mattel version of disabled Barbie, okay.

Barbie has been a neurosurgeon, an astronaut, you know, an accountant, all things - and she's still the same normal Barbie, ♪ maybe she gets a different uniform.

When Barbie became disabled not only did her name change, okay, but expectations for her changed.

She doesn't... on the side of her wheelchair... it doesn't say New York Marathon, although New York Marathon has a section for wheelchairs, it says Paralympics.

So not only is this a different character, but with a different set of expectations.

'cause the opinion would be that it would be somehow degrading to that image to have a disability Barbie.

I think the implication is more basic.

That her disability fundamentally changes her from Barbie to another character.

And then the name.

Share-a-Smile, okay.

This whole whole aspect of if we have a disability it's our responsibility to ♪ take it with a grain of salt, (Pat) ...and keep smiling!

The smiling poster child!

You're dealt a hand of cards like we're dealt.

You have to go out and you have to smile on a daily basis, 'cuz otherwise people aren't going to come near you.

It does seem that we are expected to be the grinning poster children much more than if you were non-disabled and you were in a position of authority or just meeting people.

If you're disabled you can't be the strong silent type.

You can't be the a type-A personality ♪ that's a little bit maybe hypercritical or a little bit even, some people say, on the arrogant side.

Those are all negatives if you're disabled.

But if you're not disabled, then all of a sudden you're well, you know, you're you're more appealing.

You're tough, you're macho.

But whoever heard of a macho disabled guy?

[Driving] (Pat) Okay we're approaching my old house where I w..

This is the first time I've actually been back.

I have a collage of memories in terms of being in this big house, and five other people with me.

The house was in better shape when I had it.

Sort of ironic...

I mean it does bring me instantly back to the night of the stabbing.

A lot of my blood ♪ stained memories are still in that home.

And you can take cleaning products to clean a wall, but you can't take a solution to wipe out painful memories.

I lost more than blood at the scene.

I lost a very valuable commodity ... trust in human beings.

(Dan Herbeck) The attack on Pat was one of the most disturbing stories I've covered because he's such an innocent victim.

There's no reason this should have happened to him, and he's at such a disadvantage already.

It upset the community quite a bit.

People were very disturbed to hear what happened to this guy.

Especially because they knew about the good things he'd been doing with the Silver Wheels.

(Steve) Here was a gentle man, a kind man who...

I'm not, I don't want to get upset, but I'm going to t... here was a guy that did everything right.

That everybody looked up to.

(Mike) One of the things that I admire about Pat is probably his spirit... the strength of his spirit is so great.

and it is a gift that he's been given.

That he has been able to endure these things, where other people would have perished.

(Dan Herbeck) And to his great credit he survived it and continued on with the good things he was doing after that.

(Jim Essenson) He was still really... recuperating, if you will, from the effects of the surgery and adjusting to his new life and his newfound dependency on, on others.

And to have this to happen... was just... awful.

And of course the event itself, was, as described to me, nothing short of horrific.

(Mike) My belief says that the next life is going to be infinitely more rewarding and just than this life.

(Pat) These are very modest homes but they're well kept up.

And I do my best to try to maintain the property.

I... (Pat to painter) Is a job coming like you thought or...?

(Painter) Well it's it was a big job.

A lot bigger than I thought it was but yeah, it came out nice.

(Pat) I had enough money from the sale ♪ of the oth..

Put a down payment on the house I'm living in now.

Yeah, I live on the second floor.

I have an elevator in my home.

I just like the security of living on the second floor rather than living on the first floor and feeling more vulnerable.

(Painter) This should last you a long time.

(Pat) Yeah, paint job will probably outliv..

Being a homeowner is a symbol of being independent, and being a contributor.

(Pat to painter) I don't want people going: Oh, the handicapped guy lives there... nothing matches.

[Pat chuckles] I mean, I had this illusion that if I maintain my independence and stayed in the workforce, that I would be sharing my ♪ home with my wife or girlfriend.

That didn't work out.. [Bird chatters] [Gentle music] (Narrator) Paul Johnson has CP, and today Pat hires a taxi to visit him.

(Pat) If I could have had a brother I would have chosen Paul Johnson because of his spirit ♪ because of his compassion his intelligence and his awareness of the world.

[Gentle music] (Narrator) Paul is from Chicago and still a fan of the Bears and Cubs.

[Gentle music] He lives now in the ♪ Erie County Medical Center.

(Nurse) Paul?!

[Knock, knock, knock] [TV sounds low] (Paul) Hi Pat.

(Pat) Hey, Pauly!

How are you?

(Paul) I'm doin'.

(Pat) Good to see you my friend.

Pauly, I brought you some cannolis.

They're an Italian pastry.

(Narrator) Paul uses a voice activated computer to control his TV, telephone and for other functions.

John.

(Computer voice) Yes?

(Paul) TV (Computer voice) Television So what are they made of?

(Narrator) Pat and Paul are friend.. (Pat) It's a a very nice ♪ confection.

Very big among Italian people.

I know you're not Italian but... yeah.

(Paul) I could be from the dark side.

[Pat laughs] Yeah.

(Paul) The dark side of Italy.

[Pat laughing] Yeah... yeah (Pat) You and me are from the boot.

(Paul) Yeah.

(Pat) We're from the boot.

(Paul) We've known each other for how long Pat, ev.. (Narrator) Pat and Paul have been friends for decades.

Their friendship can be traced to Paul's involvement with Silver Wheels.

I just remember us having a whole lot of fun during those times.

I remember, I think I remember, him asking me you want to play football yes, definitely!

One of the games we played at the auditorium... (Pat) Memorial Auditorium.

(Paul) The old Auditorium (Pat) Yeah, 1980.

(Paul) It was just a whole lot of fun.

To be able to, guys like us, to be able to do sports, too.

Play football and have a good time.

be part of the group.

It felt great.

That we were able to be on the team and got recognition.

It was really, it was really it was really nice.

Enjoyed every minute of it.

I remember one once when when the guy was going, to catch the ball and I reached out and I stopped from catching the ball but I fell out my chair.

(Pat) Yeah.

And the guy said, are you hurt?

Are you hurt?

I said no, no, no I'm no..

I got back up and got back in the chair.

(Pat) That's what I've always liked about you... you've always fought back.

(Pat) and I know this is... (Paul) Got back in the chair and continued on.

(Pat) Yeah.

I know this is your toughest battle but... (Paul) Yep.

(Pat) I give you credit.

It was just fun being with other guys, you know, and learning how to play the game and learning friendship, and um, team, teamwork.

Before this I was a paraplegic left side was paralyzed... and I could take care of myself.

I did pretty good.

(Pat) He had his own apartment, yeah.

(Paul) I was in a wheelchair.

All I know is I was crossing the street... 'cuz there was a ramp ther.. and the next thing I knew... when I woke up I was coming in the emergency room doors of the hospital.

(Pat) Yeah♪.

And there was there was a guy park.. came out, I didn't see him, and he came out, before I knew it and hit me.

If I could just get my right hand back I'd be happy.

I know, I know Pauly.

I could get along without walking.

(Pat) ...eh, I save a ton on footwear myself so... My disability came when I was 8 months old so I was able to deal with that all the way through...

But to be where I can't do nothing that's what really kind of gets on my nerves.

(Pat) I know Paul, I know.

But where, but as you know, where there's a will, there's a way.

(Pat) I know.

(Paul) I'd be happy as a pig in poop if I could just get my right hand back.

(Pat) I know, I know, Pauly.

'Cuz I'd at least be able to do some thi..

I mean, I have to have them brush my teeth and do this and do that♪... it's ridiculous.

(Pat) I know I know...

I know your loss... To be able to do everything for yourself (Pat) Yeah Now I can't do anything for myself.

(Pat) I know you're loss, Pauly.

I mean I couldn't walk like you but, the surgery that I had crippled me.

But you lost more... (Paul) Yeah (Pat) That's why I can relate to your situation.

[Music] If I could have had a brother I would have chose you.

Pauly, could I get a picture of this?

This picture?

(Paul) Which one?

(Pat) Of you and the tuxedo?

(Paul) Okay, I'll see if I can get her to give me one.

(Pat) Anyway I have to go.

(Paul) I wish you didn't, but I know you do... (Pat) Yeah (Pat) ...but I wanted to see you and I've always admired you, yeah, for many reasons... because of your intellect and your sense of humor.

Well Pat, if you're not able to laugh at yourself somethin... You got to have a sense of humor especially to live in this world.

(Pat) I know I know...

I know, I know You're my only visitor today.

(Pat) Well...

I'm glad you came.

(Pat) Well, good to see you Paul.

If you need to.. (Pat) Okay, take care, Paul.

(Narrator) Over the years, Pat held out hope that the Silver Wheels would revive.

He stored the chairs in his garage for years after the schedule waned to almost nothing.

(Pat) I gave them away to a nonprofit group.

A group that helps other disabled people in third world countries.

That was one of the saddest days of my life.

Because that literally meant the end of Silver Wheels.

(Narrator) After 35 years, the Silver ♪ Wheels spokes have stopped turning.

Pat no longer has the resources.

He's very disappointed that he can't keep it going physically Pat is not able.

(Game announcer) He's got an opening!

(Cheering) (Gene) They used to do like 10, 12 games a year... maybe 15.

(Wheelchair loaded into metal trailer) (Clara) It was a big loss to our young people... and to the future young people that could, uh, still be playing Silver Wheels if we had the funding to keep it going.

It broke Pat's heart.

He put so much into that, ♪ and not to be able to keep it going was heartbreaking for him.

[Music] (Pat) That literally meant the end of an era.

[Music] [Truck driving away] [Sound fades] [Clock chimes in distance] (Pat) To my two mothers and my father...

I brought the flowers for my moms and Dad, I didn't know you well enough to know what you drank.

I would have brought it for you.

What do you want from me Lord?

What more can I do to... make my parents proud.

I hope I've left some mark on this Earth, to say your son, nephew was here.

And he tried to make a difference.

(Jim Essenson) Knowing Pat Rowe has changed my life.

If you can imagine not seeing anyone for a ♪ generation and still thinking about them when, you know, times are tough or, you know, you have ♪ something personal you have to overcome.

He just had so much drive in spite of the struggles in his life.

I just...

I just admired him so much.

I mean he was someone who took lemons and made lemonade out of them.

Really he did.

They wouldn't have had that activity in their life.

They wouldn't have had that joy that that social activity in their life, were it not for Silver Wheels.

He really wants ♪ people to um, make the best of their situations.

He wants people to take risks, to fight, like he has, and to really do whatever they can to become the best they can be.

Just because you made one touchdown doesn't mean... And that's what he'd drill in them.

You don't relax, when you once make it, keep going.

Out of all the people that I've met in 30 years as a news reporter, Pat Rowe is probably one of the two or three most admirable people I've ever met.

He's a, he's a courageous individual.

He cares about others.

He hasn't let his own setbacks discourage him to ♪ the point that he, he stops trying to help others.

He's just an amazing guy.

He's an inspiration to any person who ever faced an obstacle in their life.

(Pat) I hope my legacy will be someone who really cared about other people.

Someone that tried to teach other people by example, how to live and how to interact with society with humor and compassion and intelligence.

That you you could have a disability... you could go to college you could have a job... you could run a not for profit organization that helps people... you know, you could have fun, you could have a sense of humor, you could have friends... and and still have... you know, still use the gift of life t... to have a productive life.

And I think that's his legacy.

Aside from the fact that he's a very nice guy... and he's always, always been nice to people, that's important.

He's a fighter and he's a guy who wants to make the most of himself.

And he's always been that way and he's ♪ he's done a tremendous job.

He wants to compete, he wants to make a mark and help people... And he's done that over the years in a big way.

[light breeze] [music] (Pat) I've always been maybe pigheaded, maybe not knowing my place... maybe expecting more out of myself than others do, I don't know.

I had no... uh, I mean I had end goals that I wanted to achieve as an adult, like getting married which didn't happen... yeah, I...

I didn't think it was any big deal if I could get a job.

because of the trials he's endured, uh, it's just, it's incredible.

♪ A person with an incredible spirit has been able, you know like Pat, has been able to ♪ go through this life and... not only survive but thrive, and um, God will not... forget that.

That will be rewarded.

That's my belief.

[Music] (Game announcer) ...Third down and 7... (Music, game sounds) He looks.

He looks.

He throws... [Cheers] (Clara Bomaster) I had a neighbor that she didn't want her kids even near Stevie.

And I says, he's not going to... he's not contagious.

and I says and God help your children if they... grow up and get married and have a handicapped child... well, how are they going to look at that child and treat that child?

(Steve Truesdale) I'm not going to go to bed tonight polish and wake up not being polish tomorrow.

I'm, you know, I am who I am.

But, anybody in the audience that's hearing this, could go to bed tonight and have themselves or any member of their family wake up and have a disability.

And when people become traumatically injured I think this is part of the baggage they carry with themselves... is what did I used to think about people with disabilities and now does that apply to me.

[Music] (Game announcer) What a heart felt battle!

(Pat) Good game.

Good game, Jeff.

Good game.

Thanks a lot, guys.

Thanks so much Thank you guys... (Players chattering) (Players) Double triple bump?!

(Pat) Thank you guys, thanks a lot.

Good game.

Good game.

Thanks so much.