My official name is Ralph Earle, III, but most everyone calls me Randy. At the age of 27, I was diagnosed with a rare, hereditary disorder called Adrenomyeloneuropathy, or AMN.

Prior to the onset of my illness, I was a healthy, active person. No one in my family was aware of our genetic heritage. My uncle’s AMN was misdiagnosed as MS. He was confined to a wheelchair in his later years. I am the gatekeeper for the next generation.

The moment I was diagnosed, my life changed forever. Today, ten years later, my mobility is severely limited. What I once did with speed and grace, I now struggle to attempt. Daily tasks require leg braces, a cane, crutches, or a wheelchair, depending on distance and difficulty.

We Will Find a Way is part of my ongoing exploration and new-found activism, a process that has evolved since that day of diagnosis in 1996.

As my physical condition has degenerated, I have been forced to ask for various kinds of help. But I have made slow, steady progress in moving from anger to acceptance of my growing dependence. It is a cyclical journey. I have come to learn that there are many people who genuinely want to help.

During one dark night, when I was struggling to find meaning, I said to myself, “No matter what happens, I will find a way to cope with it.” Since then, I have broadened that I to we. At this point in my journey, I know that I can help others by sharing what I have learned.