PRC Profile of
Success - John KinnairdHello, my name is John Kinnaird and I live at the Good Shepherd home in Allentown, Pennsylvania. I want to take you through my drive to communicate with the outside world. I'm 41 years old and my birthday is on Christmas. I have cerebral palsy. I was born with it. My parents taught me how to say "yes" by looking up. They were telling me to shake my head for "no." For five years we played the guessing game. I would look around the room for something and they needed to guess what I was trying to say or ask for.
In the fall of '68, I went to the Home of the Merciful Savior in Philadelphia. While I was there, all of the little puzzle pieces began coming together almost like magic. I'm grateful first to my God and King, the Lord Jesus Christ. He enabled me to learn. The second person that I am grateful for is Dr. Mac McDonald. He was the head of speech-language at Penn State University. He worked out of H.M.S. School in Philly. That is where his heart was. . . helping little children express themselves in speech. One more person that did not throw me a way because I couldn't use my fingers or a headstick to point to words on a board was Janet Barnt. They tried everything on my body to get me to communicate for myself! They almost gave up trying to find anything so I could communicate my needs. When everybody was at the end of their rope with me, they said he can't communicate! In God's perfect plan, Janet picked up a teacher's magazine and there it was -- my voice! She was figuring out my eyes were my mouth. Slowly a caterpillar turned into a butterfly, and it was me.
Over the years I began to write and to teach and to express who I was, but people started finishing my thoughts for me. I thought that was great at first. I don't know when I rejected people finishing my sentences for me. I felt like a nobody when they are doing that to me. Although my communication is slower than their communication it comes down to who I want to express my thoughts -- them or me. With my Pathfinder, I made my decision. I want to express myself!
Around 1991, I received a Liberator but nobody wanted to take the time to show me how to work it -- to get a bang for my buck! In '97, Prentke Romich said they had a new software package called UnityŽ. My speech therapist bought it! At first I was nervous because I did not know where words were. I decided that I would go to Temple University to learn Unity. During that time, I fell in love with my communication device. It is rich in language! And I was starting to write a book and giving speeches.
In 2000, I received my Pathfinder and now I can call for the elevator for myself with my Pathfinder. And now I can turn on and off my television for myself. I can go on the computer to send e-mail for myself. I even have a part in a play, thanks to Prentke Romich. You have opened a new world to me!
John Hunt Kinnaird