"My
Liberator has made a big difference in my life . . . because I can say whatever
is on my mind and whenever I want to say it," expressed the humorous Gus
Estrella.
Gus, a native Arizonian, is the older brother to his two sisters. He has five nieces and a nephew. The biggest challenge in his life was the death of his father, which he describes as "very difficult to overcome." Although he says, " . . .The way I overcame it was to think about him, remembering how proud he was of me, and what he would want me to do, which would be to continue living life to the fullest! "
With his strong will power and determination, Gus achieved his ultimate goal of attending The University of Arizona and receiving a degree in Creative Writing in 1991. For the past five years he has been a Policy Analyst at United Cerebral Palsy in Washington, D.C. He contributes his current success to his Liberator and feels that without it doors of opportunity would not have been opened. People who come into contact with Gus know he is quick with his thumb to crack a joke or come back. Gus measures his success "…by making sure people see me as a human being, and not as a person with a disability that gets out once a week."
Gus has also presented at several conferences at both the state and national level. He enjoys presenting at the Pittsburgh Employment Conference (PEC) because "it feels more like a family since everyone is in the same room! Plus, everyone socializes with each other." Along with being a great spokesman for the AAC population, he also has quite the social life. He and his fiancée, Laura Taylor, are in the process of planning their wedding, which will be June 9, 2001 in Tucson, AZ. They may go to Disney World for their honeymoon! Congratulations, Gus!
In the past three years, Gus says the most interesting thing for him has been getting a service dog. "I didn’t know how unique dogs can be, that they have personalities, or that they could act like children and tell you how they feel about you and things!" When he is not busy working or presenting, he enjoys exploring new places, dining out, going to the movies, and taking trips with Laura.
We wish you the best of luck in life!
Profiles of Success - Gus Estrella