The Spectrum

Issue date: 4/21/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: The Spectrum/MARK STANCZAK Matt Glowacki, an inspirational speaker who was born without legs, spoke at the Edgerton Center during Disabilities Awareness Week. During the show, Glowacki performed tricks and challenged a member of the men´s volleyball team to an impromptu match.

Are you intimidated by people with a disability? Do you feel uncomfortable like you have to overcompensate for their situation? If so, you may be Gimphobic.

On Monday, April 11, students were treated to a unique show at the Edgerton Center. Sponsored by the Sisters of Zeta Iota Lambda and aimed at raising disability awareness on Sacred Heart's Campus, speaker/comedian Matt Glowacki told students about his life in "Walking is Overrated."

Glowacki is an inspirational speaker who was born without any legs. Having accepted the fact that he is a person with a disability, he has come to live his life according to his own ambitions.

"Just because someone has a preconceived limitation, it has no relationship to his or her true potential. Individual differences are to be recognized and celebrated," said Glowacki. The ultimate message that he stressed was the importance of "tolerance for other people's ideas and values."

Glowacki is currently focused on businesses and sports. He was employed for three years as an outside sales account executive for Lucent Technologies. In October of 1999, he left to begin his own businesses. He has a very successful sales business, owns and operates a mobile disc jockey service, and is the president of Myriad Communications.

His second love is competitive sports. Glowacki earned a position on the USA Paralympics Team for Sit-Volleyball in June of 1998. He then went to the World Championships in Washington, D.C. He has traveled and competed internationally with the team and helped them secure a position in the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney, Australia.

Today, Glowacki gives presentations and demonstrations to raise money to offset expenses associated with training and traveling with the team and he honestly feels that walking is overrated.

He asked the "walkies"-Glowacki's term for people with legs-if they get tired from walking. Everyone raised their hand. Then he showed how easy it was for him to get around in a wheel chair and even performed some tricks. Finally, Glowacki challenged a member of the men's volleyball team to a game of sit-volleyball.

Matt Glowacki's personal philosophy is to not feel sorry for people with disabilities. Sometimes, a person without a physical disability is more hindered in life than someone without the use of their legs. Glowacki has accepted his situation and is taking advantage of every opportunity that he gets.

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