- A Brave, Able Soul
- Centreville,
Delaware
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- Peter J. Collins
became a newsmaker at the age of 2 by living that many
years longer than doctors had expected. That was 16 years
ago. Since then, the son of Elaine and James P. Collins
Jr. And brother of Jimmy, Cassie and Bridget, has
continued to amaze others, and sometimes even himself.
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- Peter was born
paralyzed from the waist down as a result of spina
bifida, a congenital defect of the spine. That and other
related maladies has caused Peter to spend lots of his
time in and out of the hospital.
But thanks to the love and untiring support of his
parents, a highly skilled surgeon and his own plucky
tenacity, Peter not only survived his traumatic entry
into the world, but rarely views it as a disadvantage.
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- "Kindly consider
Peter … not in spite of his handicaps," wrote
Peter’s father, "but because of the courageous
and unselfish way in which he has dealt with them."
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- By age 3, Peter was
attending United Cerebral Palsy’s Camp Manito, a
summer camp for handicapped children on River Road. By
age 4, he was walking with the aid of a specially
designed walker, attending school and riding horses. By
age 7 he was participating in organized wheelchair sports
and has since won medals in national and local track
competitions.
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- "I try not to
let things get me down," says Peter, when asked his
philosophy of life. Besides, he says, being positive is a
way "to thank my family and friends for always being
there with me."
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- One of the first
handicapped children in the state to be mainstreamed,
Peter now is an honor-roll senior at A.I. duPont High
School. In his spare time he likes listening to music,
hanging out at the mall, and being a volunteer counselor
at Camp Manito, and at the New Castle County Department
of Parks and Recreation REC and Respite program, also at
River Road Park, a weekend day camp for handicapped
children.
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- For several years
now, Peter has been helping young handicapped children
with play activities and eating skills the way others
helped him 15 years ago. In fact, he recently decided
that counseling the handicapped will be his life goal.
"People have been there for me ever since Day
One," he says. "I just want to pay back. Not
just handicapped. If a ‘normal’ person needs my
help, I’ll be there."
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- Stephanie Whyche
- Copyright 1992, The
News Journal, Wilmington, DE
- Posted for Non-Profit
Educational use under the Fair Use Provisons of the
InterNational Copyright Laws.
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