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Profile of a Person with a Disability Franklin Delano Roosevelt “Once you’ve spent two years trying to wiggle one toe, everything is in proportion.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1945 It is hard not to be captivated by the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt; twelve years of presidency, with one World War and the stock market crash all while dealing with a personal disability. It was not a secret during his presidency of his Polio disability, yet the extent was unknown. Polio The 32nd president of the United States was diagnosed in 1921 with infantile paralysis, better known as polio. Polio affects the nervous system. According to the New York Department of Health polio is, “a viral disease which may affect the spinal cord causing muscle weakness and paralysis (ny.gov).” The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that, “the virus lives in an infected person's throat and intestines (NIH).” It is most often spread by contact with the stool, mucus or phlegm from the nose or mouth of an infected person. Roosevelt’s wealthy family vacationed in Campobello Island New Brunswick, Canada cottage in the summer; this is where he showed first signs of Polio symptoms. The exact moment is uncertain but is best believed to be when Roosevelt was at a prior Boy Scout camp in New York. FDR got Polio at the age of 39, which is uncommon for a middle-aged person; the disease usually sprouts in childhood. The diagnosis shocked Franklin and his wife, Eleanor. They took to medical advice on treatment options. In the fall of 1921, FDR decided to “remove himself from political life in order to begin his rehabilitation process at his home in Hyde Park, New York ().”FDR took to swimming as an exercise routine. By the winter of that year, his arms regained... ... middle of paper ... ... his hips and swing is legs forward in a swaying motion to make it appear as if he was walking ().” The press also respected FDR’s request that no pictures should taken of him maneuvering, walking or being transferred from his car. In addition, The Secret Service was ordered to deliberately interfere with anyone who did not comply with Roosevelt’s wishes. Roosevelt himself and his family responded to the disability in different stages. At first, his children were heartbroken seeing their father in such a vulnerable state, struggling to move. Eventually they became comfortable around his condition and were proactive in helping him and involving themselves with his rehabilitation process Today FDR is not known for his polio disability, he is known as a previous amazing leader of this country. His disability was a characteristic of his persona it did not define him.