Actively Helping the World by Providing Disability Resources On the Internet
Pam Vetter
January 15, 2008
"It all started when I was searching for something about disability in Google. I was getting very poor results and thought I´d build a directory, put it all in one place and everybody would hopefully find what they are looking for. I also write a lot of articles," Robin said.
With an encouraging voice, Robin has made a point to reach out to others who are seeking information or advice.
He understands far too well the need for information as he´s found himself in every stage over the last thirty years. Robin was paralyzed in 1976 when he crashed a motorbike. He was told he would never walk again.
"I was 16 when I was riding a motorbike underage. I crashed while being chased by police at 95 miles per hour. The policeman involved came to my hospital bed some 200 miles away to apologise. I simply said, ´Hey, you were doing your job, I was in the wrong, now go home to your wife.´ I was determined to walk. I was hospitalized for 11 ½ months and did twelve hours per day of physical therapy. I discharged myself walking on crutches with no other aid," Robin said. "Afterward, I was living at home with my parents. My mum helped me to dress. She died of cancer some six years later. About three years after my mum died, I bought a house with my then girlfriend that I´d been with since I was 15."
Although Robin was walking and using a wheelchair over longer distances, he didn´t work outside of the home for the next twenty years. Re-educating himself and returning to the workforce was difficult.
"Meeting my now wife gave me the confidence and spurred me on," Robin said.
Determined to succeed, he went back to college and learned web design. He qualified five years later as a DDA auditor and went from $8,000 a year benefits to four years later owning three houses and working 16 hours a day on auditing.
"It depends on your level of disability, but with the Internet so readily available, it has opened up many job opportunities for people of all abilities. The main thing is to believe in yourself and don´t give up," Robin said. "Battles were never won by people that give up."
Eleven years ago, Robin was married.
"My wife is a very strong person with very strong beliefs and sticks to them. She worked in local hospital in Orthotics for many years, but when my work took off, she left and we now work together as partners. She doesn´t see my disability, just the lovely person that I am," Robin said with a laugh. "She´s quite lovely, too."
Robin believes times have changed significantly in attitudes toward the community with disabilities as awareness increases.
"To be honest, I think it is changing in most civilised countries, awareness is improving, access slowly getting there and as the younger generation come along the disabled have a greater sense of being in the world and accepted as a person," Robin explained.
"I'd like Ableize ~ disability and mobility information to be known as the one place to go for disability information in the UK. Also, I'd like to build it up to included worldwide entries. It´s only been going for just over a year and it´s on track."
Robin pictured with his Jack Russell named Molly.
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