Every Cripple a Superhero

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Fascinating, compelling, and very funny, this work presents a defiant call to arms that lingers long in the memory. It serves as a skilled act of literary witness, blending sharpness, emotion, and humor. Christoph Keller's journey begins with his childhood diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA III), a condition that, while allowing for a long life, progresses slowly and has no cure. By age 25, he relied on a wheelchair at times, and by 32, he could still walk with assistance. However, by 45, he was fully dependent on mobility aids. Intimate, absurdist, and refreshingly candid, this memoir explores the complexities of living with a progressive disorder and the challenges of love, connection, and navigating a world not designed for those with disabilities. It delves into everyday experiences—restaurants, airplanes, museums—while highlighting the unexpected beauty in urban obstacles like puddle-filled curb cuts. These images serve as portals to a different reality, revealing a city where disability is more common than often acknowledged, and where lives of everyday superheroes exist alongside our own. With humor and grace, the narrative uncovers a deeper understanding of what it means to live authentically in a world that often overlooks the extraordinary within the ordinary.