Franklin D. Roosevelt By: Morgan St. John

Who? 32nd President of the United States of America – During the Great Depression and World War II – (Four Terms) Born: – Hyde Park, New York – January 30, 1882 Died: – April 12, 1945

What was the Disability? Polio: – Contagious viral illness Transmitted by coming into contact with an infected person’s feces or mucus. It can also contaminate food and water if people do not wash their hands – Causes paralysis, difficulty breathing, and sometimes death.

Effects of Polio on FDR Diagnosed in 1921, at the age of 39 Aided to shape who he was, both as a man and as a president Wife was not very supportive of her husband going back into politics

How Did He Overcome Polio? He never wanted people to acknowledge his disability. He would choose to walk with a cane assisted by an advisor to seem as though he was not completely disabled. Although some thought the disability would hinder him from getting votes, but the voters turned out to be sympathetic toward him.

Interesting Facts He designed his own wheelchair. He was an inspiration to many people with disabilities by the way he conducted himself. He did not die as a direct cause of polio. He died because of a cerebral hemorrhage. His favorite color was blue.

References Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013, July 8). Polio- Fact Sheet for Parents. Retrieved from vac/polio/fs-parents.htmlhttp:// vac/polio/fs-parents.html Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum. (2013). Biography and FDR and Polio. Retrieved from Roosevelt, C. (1998, August 5). FDR: A Giant Despite His Disability. The New York Times. Retrieved from nion/05iht-edcurl.t.html nion/05iht-edcurl.t.html