Meet the Staff
Theresa Williams
On the morning of September 17th, 1999, a storm was brewing. Little did Theresa know it was just the beginning of the many storms that would occur in her life. She was on her way to work. At the time she was a resident advisor for the elderly population here in Williamsport, Pa. That morning she had a very severe car accident that mangled her legs. The doctors did what they could, but the accident left her a wheelchair user with very little mobility. She had never imagined a busy about-life person such as herself becoming a person with a disability. It was a very hard situation to deal with at first. She felt like she was imprisoned, her options became few, barriers began to pop up in every aspect of her life. Theresa's loss of dignity and the bottom dropping out of her self-esteem made her feel hopeless and powerless. She needed help.
Theresa didn't know where to begin, but she knew that she had to get some acceptance with her disability in order to get her life back to its previous status. She had worked with people with disabilities for over 15 years. She began to play some of the tapes in her head of some of her own words; in other words, she began to take some of her own advice. She contacted the Labor Board, OVR, Home Health Services and any one else she thought would help (or just listen).
Through God's grace, Theresa found the inner strength to put her life back on track. She returned to Penn College in the fall of 2000. Theresa began to participate in activities with her foster son, Kevin, who has encouraged her constantly throughout her endeavors. The love that grew between us during this trying time was her most supportive tool. Her husband, Tony, was with her every step of the way to support and encourage.
Since then, Theresa has learned to persevere through the barriers and stigma that is associated with people who encounter disabilities. This situation/tragedy has helped her get a clearer idea of who she is. She graduate from Penn College on May 19th 2001. Theresa work here at CIL will open the doors necessary for her to reach and encourage others who encounter disabilities. Theresa also hopes to help others develop coping skills and motivational strategies so that they might live their lives to the fullest of there potential and the highest of quality. Her initial goal here at CIL is to help people overcome obstacles and become accountable for their futures. Some inspiration: Learn to cope and face your challenges in order to maintain your independence.
Contact Theresa at twilliams@cilncp.org.
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