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Profiles of Courage
NINI GALEN
Nina's Transformation
Nina lives in her own apartment shared only with a roommate. She is a neighbor and getting to know her neighborhood. She is supported by Job Path, an agency that provides individualized supports so that she can live in her own apartment and be a member of her community. She and her mom, Diana McCourt, also have the support of a circle of friends and family. Five of the members are friends of Diana's that had not been involved with Nina before until Diana invited them in.. The group meets regularly to learn more about Nina.
The circle has helped to make Nina's life in her new apartment and in the city full of activity in a welcoming community. Nina was registered at Bed and Bath and Pottery Barn for her big housewarming party. She goes shopping at local stores for clothes, she goes out to lunch, and she gets lots exercise from walking and going to Riverbank State Park . She has had several small parties in her apartment for friends and family who have been attracted to the vision and drawn into Nina's life to participate. Even her father has become reengaged in Nina's life after an absence of 40 years.
At age 42, Nina's ordinary life doing ordinary things is extraordinary when compared to her former life isolaterd from community as a resident of Willowbrook State School and several large group homes who failed to understand her. Nina's ISP labeled her with profound mental retardation with Residual Autism, Nina gets around on her own but has no speech.
Nina suffered abuse, general neglect and extreme frustration. As a young girl she spent her days mostly rocking from side to side, foot to foot abusing herself by biting her arm and hands resulting in huge welts. As she grew older she developed much more dramatic behaviors, running out of the day program building to the street, eating the intercom wire after she tore it off the wall, biting herself so badly that she had to wear a helmet to protect herself during especially bad self attacks. She was also put on psychotropic drugs.
Nina's mom Diana, is a student of possibilities and followed her vision of a better life for Nina as she learned that Nina's behaviors were her way of saying, "I am bored out of my skull. I am a prisoner of the group. No one listens. Now I have some ideas at least about what I I want one-on-one with a helper/friend. That's how I flourish. I am tired of practicing for life. I want to live my life."
Since her participation in her one-on-one day program and move to her new apartment shared with one roommate, Nina has completely stopped her self-abusive behavior. Nina looks relaxed and happy.
Diana McCourt, Nina Galen's mom, is a powerful advocate for change. She was involved as a parent organizer and advocate of the closure of the Willowbrook state school and remains involved in promoting individualized day and living options for people who need 24 hour support. Contact Diana McCourt at: 212-662-9746
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