1982-1986

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Page 68 'Positive One of her instructors calls her "mentally tough". She refers to herself as "The Positive Thinker". ' And anyone who meets East Central Junior College student Mrs. Nancy Foster who has been mostly confined to a wheelchair for 14 years, can readily tell that being confined to a wheelchair is by no means a han– dicap; it's simply a means of transportation. Nancy, a divorcee for about a year and mother of two children, com– mutes daily in a specially-equipped car to East Central from her Philadelphia home. It is obviousli'rlt>t an easy task: try– ing to receive a college education after such a long time between high school and college, being confined (about 90 percent of the time) to a wheelchair, and rearing two children as a divorcee. But then again, Nancy is not ac– customed to a lot of "easy" situations in life. First of all, she is an adopted child. Her foster parents, Una and Will Hawkins are deceased. Mr. Hawkins died about a month after Nancy was adopted. Mrs. Hawkins died when Nancy was 21 years old. Then, as a 16-year-old ninth grade student at Sebastopol High School, her life took a dramatic change of course. In fact, after the accident occurred, doctors had given her very little chance of any life at all. Tears came to her eyes as she reminisced about the three-vehicle accident which happened a few miles north of Forest on Highway 21 late one Saturday afternoon in January, 1973.

hinker·'·lto graduat·e May 8 Guraedy said Nancy, of all the heading north, when her vehicle col- with their homework and then she students he teaches, is the most lided with a pick-up truck being tackles her own assignments. But, she career oriented of the group. driven by now Scott County Deputy quickly added, sometimes the situa- He said she is "very <\isciplined" in Sheriff Colon Anding. A third vehicle tion is reversed, as she said her her work and is also "very conscien– was also involved in the accident, children are currently making better tious". He said she is an easy-going Nancy said, but that vehicle fled the grades then she. Nancy said Johnna person and listens well in class. scene. and B.J. each make all A's and rank "I wish all my students could be like Nancy said she does not remember near the top of their respective Nancy Foster. I admire her very much about the accident, and classes. much. She is mentally tough," remembers very little prior to the With her activities somewhat Guraedy said. mishap. But she does remember that limited, plus the fact of being married Nancy, besides other "minor" set– doctors had given her "no hope to and rearing children, what possibly backs previously mentioned, also live" and that Anding was also crit- could have been the motivating factor "lost about everything I own" in a cally injured. She said she oftens cor- for Nancy to obtain a college educa- house fire last semester. No one was responds with Anding and added they tion? injured in the blaze but Nancy and the are good friends . "Well, for some reason, many of my children were forced to relocate and Nancy said she was left partially friends were calling me for advice on move into another home in paralyzed from the accident and she whatever problem they were having. Philadelphia. She did have insurance also received severe concussion plus They could call at all hours of the coverage, but she said that too is other injuries. She said her recovery night. So one night I decided to heck another problem area and that she required regular hospital treatments with giving all this free advice. I had and the insurance company were in– for about two and a half years and she made up my mind to go to college and volved in a claims dispute. . underwent about ten operations. major in Educational Psychology," Nancy said she hopes one day to She then began many months of Nancy said. completely walk away from the therapy at Methodist Vocational And that she has done. Nancy is wheelchair. She still undergoes a Rehabilitation Center in Jackson. completing her second year at East rigorous daily routine of workouts, While at the center, she was able to Central and is looking forward to the which mainly involves walking earn, at age 19, a G.E.D. certificate May 8 graduation ceremonies. several hours at Northside and Burn– with the help of a private tutor, Nancy She said this semester has been side Parks in Philadelphia. She al~'> Everett of the University of Southern tougher than normal, since she is tak- swims in her private pool and she Mississippi. ing 19 semester hours. even plays a few holes of golf, one of At .age 20, and still undergoing Nancy, who said she has thoroughly her favorite sports. . therapy and mostly confined to the enjoyed attending East Central When she leaves East Central in wheelchair, she married John Foster, Junior College, said she feels ac- May, Nancy said she plans to continue and they soon began a family. They cepted just for what she is: another her drive for the Educational have two children, Johnna, age ten, student just trying to obtain a college Psychology degree. And after that, and B.J., age six. education. She said attending ECJC she plans to focus her talents on work- When asked about her routine as it has not only been an edu.cational ex- ing with the aging-and mainly with pertains to school-age children, Nan- perience, but an enjoyable one as those who have nothing to do to oc- cy said she wakes up about 5 a .m., to well. cupy their time and minds. get the kids and herself ready for One of her instructors is Bruce And that's an appropriate goal in school. Guraedy who teachers art. Nancy is life for Nancy Foster, who sees And when the children return from enrolled in his ceramics class. She was driving her car and school, Nancy said she helps them

herself not as a handicapped person but someone who achieves her goals so she can help others.

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