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Adapting to life after a spinal cord injury

Last fall, three young men of Palestinian descent were shot while out for a walk. All three survived, but one, Hisham Awartani, suffered a spinal cord injury and is now paralyzed from the waist down. His mother, Elizabeth Price, shares an update on his health and explains the accessibility modifications their family has made to their Burlington home.

Modifying homes to accommodate aids like wheelchairs can be a challenging process in Vermont, where much of the housing stock is older and not ADA-complaint. Edie Perkins, executive director of the became paralyzed from the chest down seven years ago following an accident. She worked with an architect to build an accessible home.

Vermont does have a number of legal protections for people with disabilities. Big Hartman, executive director of the , explains how their office handles discrimination complaints, which are often related to housing. Rachel Batterson, director of , outlines the housing rights of people with disabilities.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Mikaela Lefrak is the host and senior producer of Vermont Edition. Her stories have aired nationally on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Marketplace, The World and Here & Now. A seasoned local reporter, Mikaela has won two regional Edward R. Murrow awards and a Public Media Journalists Association award for her work.
Daniela Fierro is a news producer for Vermont Edition. Email Daniela.