ADA Story July 10: Kristen M. Saccardi
My ADA Story: My Letter to the ADA
By Kristen M. Saccardi
Hi! My Name is Kristen Michelle Saccardi. I was born on April 26, 1980 in Silver Spring, MD. I am a 40-year-old woman. I have several disabilities. My Disabilities are Epilepsy, Learning Disabilities, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury, Plus Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities. Epilepsy is a seizure disorder. I had my very first seizure at 18 months of age. But my parents did not know what was happening at the time, and they were petrified. So, they took me to the hospital, and I was diagnosed with Epilepsy at 18 months of age. When I was 5 years old, I was in the hospital because I was having seizures. I had a seizure the lasted 9½ minutes, which caused me to have a stroke. The Stroke left me with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which is also called Brain Damage. From that point on, I spent several years in and out of the hospital up to the age of 20. I graduated high school on June 1, 2000. I was 20 years of age when I graduated. My last seizure was on June 7, 2000. Even though I hate to brag, I am proud to say I have been seizure free for 20 years now. Which is a huge accomplishment in my life. And it’s something I am very proud of.
My Learning Disabilities have a lot to do with my Traumatic Brain Injury. Otherwise, I could function like someone without a disability. And I would be able to learn more quickly also.
My Traumatic Brain Injury is also what keeps me from driving a car. My seizures keep me from driving as well. My Mom is afraid to let me drive because I don’t get any warnings when I will have a seizure. I just have a seizure. And If I was in the car behind the wheel driving and let’s say I went into a seizure and had a wreck, and nobody was in the car to drive me to the hospital. I could injure or kill the people in front of me, and I could die myself because I would be unconscious.
I am the Secretary of the Self Advocates of Mecklenburg group. And I enjoy being the Secretary although it’s sometimes a little bit confusing to me. But I can manage it. I’m a very smart woman.
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) has helped me by providing transportation to school and home, providing transportation on STS (Special Transportation Services) to and from appointments. STS also takes me to the grocery store when I need groceries. Although STS used to come out to the Ballantyne area of Charlotte, NC but no longer comes out to Ballantyne. So, When I want to use STS, I have to find a way to the Arboretum to use STS. The Arboretum is about 10-15 minutes from me. I would like the ADA to try to get Special Transportation to come back out to the Ballantyne area. But I do want to thank GOD and the ADA that I am able to work a job. Plus, I have the ADA to thank for the fact I got to graduate high school, and I also want the thank the ADA for the services I have with INREACH. I want to say thank you to the ADA for making all this possible for me.
Most of the time, I rely and depend on my parents plus my brothers and sisters to drive me everywhere. Because, as I said in the above paragraph, STS no longer comes out to the Ballantyne area, which is where I live.
Signed, Kristen M Saccardi
Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the ADA