Ralph Scott Gives Up His Seat
If you have been following our work for the past year, you know that we
have been involved in a project with Ralph Scott. Ralph was a high
school athlete with everything going for him. When he was 15, he
contracted a severe case of polio. Even after intensive therapy and
treatment, the disease left him confined to a wheelchair for well over
50 years. In spite of his severe handicaps, Ralph succeeded in
graduating from college, conducting a successful business career, and
continued to have involvement in athletics, especially with the
University of Alabama football team.
The Does
God Exist? ministry has
sought to answer questions about God and human suffering by printing
personal accounts of people who have taken what appears to be a huge
tragedy and turning it into a life-fulfilling ministry. When I met
Ralph many years ago, I started badgering him to write his story so
that people who have suffered a debilitating injury or disease would
see that they can make a wonderful life for themselves and can actually
make some good things come of their terrible tragedy. One of the things
that the medical profession is learning is that polio victims
eventually are afflicted with post-polio syndrome, even if their polio
had been mild. In Ralph's case, the post-polio syndrome was severe, and
it was this realization that finally motivated Ralph to write his story.
Ralph Scott passed away on March 7 after his respiratory system and
heart were severely affected by the post-polio syndrome. We saw him in
February and were thrilled at the lives he had touched and the
continued encouragement and support he was giving to others in spite of
his own medical problems. Ralph's book was titled I'd offer you my seat...but it's taken (referring
to the wheelchair). Ralph is now free of the body that confined his
enormous spirit to that mechanical chair. We will miss him and his
phone calls and positive spirit. Our sympathies go out to his wife
Donna (who did so much to encourage and support him) and to his family
and friends.
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Does God Exist?, MayJun05.