A special thanks tonight to all who worked on the 44th annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon on NBC13HD. It raised more than $327,000.
During the telethon, I met a man who so impressed me that I wanted to do more than a quick in-studio interview. His name is Jerry Farris, and he's 38 years old.
If you just look at Jerry, you might think he can't do much... my how wrong you'd be. Jerry Farris is a busy man... busy living life to its fullest.
There was a picture of Jerry Farris in a newspaper when he was about 2 years old. His parents had just learned that their little boy had muscular dystrophy.
"I was just devastated,” said Jerry’s mother, Diane Farris. “I cried all day and all night and just felt like my life was over."
These days and all these years later, Diane Farris visits with her son on his front porch. Since he was born, Diane Farris was protective of Jerry, like any mother. When he started talking about moving out on his own, she at first was against it.
"I just didn't want to let go,” Diane said. “All these years since he was born I've took care of him, I lifted him, I just did everything... I just didn't want to let go."
"I wanted to be independent since I was about 30, but I didn't see the full vision of it," Jerry said.
About a year ago, Jerry took the plunge and moved into his own home.
It took courage and improved technology to allow Jerry to live independently. The technology is in Jerry's wheelchair... the heart and the determination and the courage all are found in Jerry Farris.
"I just started realizing, hey maybe there is a way I can do this and confidence kept building until... here I am," Jerry said.
Using his fingers and his right foot in his lap, Jerry runs his life. His lights, the air conditioning, the TV, his computer… all voice commands.
And if he's ever in trouble?
"One of my buttons down here is a life alert button,” Jerry said. “All I have to do is push that, and my thumb stays on that button about all the time."
"What he wants, he gets, he goes after it,” Diane Farris said. “He doesn't wait for someone to hand it to him, that's the way he is."
Jerry used to get a monthly disability check, but he doesn't any more... you see, he makes too much money. He's employed full-time and is able to do all of his work on his computer. That's the way Jerry wants it.
He speaks to others with physical challenges... challenging them to live life and find ways to do things others might think they can do.
Still Jerry's mom still worries about him... that's what mothers do, ya know.
"She does, I love my mom, she's great,” Jerry said. “She does worry about me and I know she's about to move about 15 minutes away, but you know we've been doing this for a year and we kind of have a pattern going and I think it will be fine."
I think he's right… Jerry Farris is going to be just fine.
"Let's face it, when you move out on your own, you start livin’,” Jerry said. “I'm just late in life doin’ it."
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