His mind flies on eagle’s wings

Cerebral palsy cannot cage this author’s life

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

His mind is full of universal wonders and his soul foresees an after-life where he runs with birds.

But for many years, 55-year-old Gerry Peterson’s passions for God and nature sat idle with him in his wheelchair, known only to those nearest to him.

His mother, Ruth, once gazed into her son’s baby blue eyes and felt what only a parent could. She had faith that her little boy would someday find a way to communicate.

Forget your son

Gerry was 10 months old when a pediatrician told Ruth her son had Little’s disease (cerebral palsy). She was advised to put him in an institution and forget she ever had him.

“I was a nurse and I was aware long before the doctor told me that something was radically wrong. He was not sleeping well nor was he able to swallow his food properly,” Ruth said.

The doctor performed an extensive examination of Gerry.

“Can you imagine being told to forget him? I scooped up my baby off his desk and said ‘Over my dead body.’ I walked out of there and I still don’t know how I got home.”

She was in denial. Did God forsake her and her husband Waldemar?

“I knew when I was assigned to be Gerry’s mother that it was not my idea, and I let the Lord know in no uncertain terms. But we worked it through because I have a very supportive husband.”

Waldemar is a former chief superintendent with the RCMP.

The Petersons follow the Baptist faith.

“I have a very strong faith that God is there for us and we had better stop and listen because we don’t know everything, although we think we do,” Ruth said.

Growing up, Gerry had a lot of questions about life and his role in it. Ruth said she did not have the answers unless she trusted in God to put the correct words in her mouth to encourage Gerry.

“We were adamant that Gerry would have a life that was his own. He had to make choices and pay for the choices like everyone else. He was very receptive to this and we still live it out every day. To him, Christ became very real and he came to accept his own life and Jesus as his saviour. Then he decided to encourage others with his books.”

Ruth served on the premier’s council on the status of persons with disabilities for four years until January 2003, soon after her 80th birthday. She has been an advocate for the disabled, raising awareness and funds for the March of Dimes McQueen Residence in the city’s west end, a nine-room centre for persons with physical disabilities built some 30 years ago.

“Gerry was 24 when I was involved with rehabilitation for the disabled,” Ruth said. “I was determined that people like Gerry did not need to be in a nursing home. He needed to be with other people and lead as normal a life as possible. I fought tooth and nail until I stood in 1974 and dug the hole.”

She was constantly told it could not be done simply because it had never been done before. She thought the contrary.

Gerry was 12 in 1962 when the family moved to a newer area in Saskatoon. Ruth had been toying with ideas of a headpiece as a means to improve her son’s ability to communicate.

Gerry was attending a special school for disabled children. To communicate with him, a person would stand beside Gerry and recite the alphabet one letter at a time until Gerry acknowledged a letter as the one he wanted. The letters eventually became words. It was a painstaking process.

“We had just put in a new lawn when the city decided they forgot something, so out my kitchen window one day I saw a worker digging up our front yard,” Ruth said. “He took off his hard hat and he turned the inside piece towards the window. That was it. I went running out to ask him if I could see his hat for a few minutes. He looked at me like I was nuts. I called Gerry’s school and talked to the doctor who had agreed that Gerry could do a lot if only he had a way to communicate. I told him I have the answer to Gerry’s dilemma.”

Magical wand

A wand was soldered onto a head harness and it worked, Ruth said. Over the years, that prototype has been refined to its present design. Gerry nods towards a letter on the keyboard and touches it.

They bought Gerry a typewriter but the wand kept getting caught between the keys. Ruth called Olivetti telling them they need to produce a different typewriter. A representative visited the Petersons’ home and told them it could be done. Gerry received the first one off the assembly line. Later came the idea and production of a word board. Today’s technology has since integrated a voice simulator.

“He was off. He was thrilled. Gerry could tell us yes, no or he didn’t care. He could say if he was mad or sad – whatever. This opened a whole new world for him.”

Ruth said she never thought to patent the devices because she could not do everything at once. Gerry’s well being was what mattered. But her designs have helped many others reveal their inner thoughts more freely.

“It has served a lot of people and whether they know my name or not, it doesn’t matter.”

Gerry has now written three books about his life and his relationship with God. His most recent work is Accepting Life. He mentions his daily struggles, when he fell in love and a serious illness five years ago that nearly took his life.

He is articulate, humorous and an inspiration. He is an active member of West Meadows Baptist Church and runs CHRIST-ABLED (Gerry’s Ministry) at gerrypet@telusplanet.net, intended for Christians with disabilities to discuss their faith.

Gerry enjoys attending Bible study classes, where he met the Rev. Richard Paetzel, professor emeritus of North American Baptist College (Taylor University College) in Edmonton.

Bible buddies

“Gerry came to one of my evening classes and we became friends. We began meeting from time to time and then he asked me to help him with some writing. His first book was written more than 20 years ago,” Paetzel said.

One thousand copies of Accepting Life have been ordered. Gerry has sold about 60 so far. He is already working on his next book about his belief that God has created life on other planets.

“We have a very honest relationship. He tells me things he doesn’t tell anyone else,” Paetzel said. “One of Gerry’s qualities is that he is persistent.”

Paetzel joked he is Gerry’s literary agent. His fee is an occasional cup of coffee.

Gerry likes to play chess, window shop at West Edmonton Mall and tend to a small garden at his residence.

And he loves birds. He has about two dozen figurines on his bedroom shelves.

“I grew up in the Church but I walked away,” Gerry typed, with Paetzel by his side. “I went to a church where Jesus said to stop playing games. He said ‘Follow me.’ He makes my life interesting. He gives me hope after this life: I can run.”

Anyone interested in ordering Accepting Life can contact Gerry’s Ministry by email. Paetzel will respond to all enquiries.

Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 -- Western Catholic Reporter