Wednesday, November 21, 2007

A letter from a reader

Hi Michele,

I have also written to Barbara Walters after Joy B. made what was the most insensitive remark regarding Heather's prosthetic leg when Heather was on Dancing with the Stars. Heather was to my family an angel who took it upon herself to meet my granddaughter, Sammy Rotman, several weeks after Sammy's full leg amputation. Sammy and her family were guests of Heather on Dancing with the Stars… a moment Sammy will remember for the rest of her life. Heather has been, and continues to be, a wonderful role model for Sammy, who suffers from cancer and is only 8 years old. Heather was not only gracious, kind and thoughtful, but extremely loving to Sammy and her family. There was no exploitation of any sort… which impressed not only our family, but the entire community where we live.

I never received a reply from Barbara Walters or anyone associated with The View… it didn't surprise me. I only hope that Joy never experiences with anyone she loves what losing a limb is like, and what courage it takes to do all the things Heather has shown the world one can do with a disability. Joy has shown and displayed what a shallow individual she is, and uses that characteristic to try and be funny. Shame on Barbara Walters for continuing to allow these types of comments on the show.

Best regards,
Lois Libenson
Bow, NH

1 comment:

Amanda and SuperAmanda™ said...

Dear Michele,


Thank you for sharing Lois's letter.
Joy Behar is a comedienne so a great deal of what she says is supposed to be offensive, I'm sure she would drive me insane if I ever met her!

I thought you might find this recent news article of interest to you and Heather, I at once thought of her when I read about it.


Bonsoir,
Amanda


NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams today picked up the amazing story--from local affiliate KARE-11--of Nick Nelson, a nine-year-old boy who requested that his leg be amputated.

Nelson was born with a rare inherited condition called Popliteal Pterygium Syndrome that caused a web of skin to connect the back of his leg to his heel. Because of that webbing, Nelson was not able to straighten his leg and was confined to a wheelchair.

So he made a decision no young boy should ever face: He asked to have his leg amputated so that he could be fitted with a prosthesis.

"Sometimes you have to make hard choices in your life," Nick told KARE-11 reporter Joe Fryer. "And that's one of them."

NBC Nightly News isn't the end of the national exposure for this inspiring local story--tomorrow morning, Nick will appear on the Today show.