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Lake Kissick
1950 – 2008The AAC community lost a true friend and pioneer on November 14, 2008. Lake Kissick was one of the first individuals to receive a Prentke Romich Company communication device, The Express 1. He was very involved in the disability community through his writing and jobs. He was also a devout Christian and attended church regularly. Lake was survived by his loving wife Jane.
Lake had many avocations during his life which were aimed to empower the lives of people with disabilities, and this was mostly accomplished through his writing. He published a quarterly newsletter named “The Disabled Challenger”. In addition to the newsletter, Lake had a regular column in “PRC Current Expressions” called “Lake’s Corner”.
Although most of Lake’s columns were written twenty years ago, the topics are still pertinent today and deserve our action. He wrote about his true feelings and he didn’t hold anything back. Lake’s ideal situation that he dreamed of and frequently wrote about was his goal of not having to rely on the government to live. Another critical issue he wanted addressed was to have appropriate attendant care for everybody who needed it, which included appropriate pay for attendants. Other issues included things like having an intimate relationship and public awareness of people with disabilities.
Eventually he obtained a couple full-time jobs with The Prentke Romich Company. His first job was as a Special Consultant, which very much sounds like what the current PRC ambassadors do. He went around Minnesota, where he lived, and demonstrated PRC’s products. Then Lake got what he described as his “dream job”. He was hired to help develop future PRC devices and became the Advocacy Coordinator. As Advocacy Coordinator he was responsible for coordinating communication between the device users and the company. This meant he had to move to Wooster, Ohio and it was a life changing experience.
I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Lake but I feel I have got to know him spiritually by reading his columns and writing about his life. In fact I found I am similar to him in many ways. First, oddly enough I love to write and I am writing this monthly column. I have also advocated for attendant care policies and fair wages. Lastly, I have gotten my own dream job. I am working for PRC as a beta tester for new communication devices and software.
Below I have inserted a portion of Lake’s Corner from Winter 1987. Perhaps those reading this month’s column will be motivated to help find solutions for the issues Lake identified two decades ago. What New Year’s resolutions do you feel the disability community should make as we enter 2009? How can we help to put an end to problems that have had a negative impact on the quality of life of people with disabilities for decades? I’d like to hear from you! Finally, I would like to end by saying: “It was nice meeting you, Lake Kissick”.
What New Year’s resolutions have you made?
b y Lake Kissick
Lake’s Corner, Current Expressions
Winter 1987I have a suggestion if you are disabled. Why don’t you have a resolution to accomplish something which you think is going to be “impossible” this year?
If you are helping disabled people or if you are parents of them, your New Year’s resolution should be “We will encourage and then collaborate with them on choosing a reasonable “impossibility” – if they don’t suggest some by themselves – and lovingly support and bolster their efforts.
Be creative and imaginative in choosing the seemingly “impossible” goal!!! That will build self-confidence. There will be an added bonus with this: You will notice the “positive mental attitude” rise as the target gets closer and finally hits!!
Everyone needs tools besides people to guide them toward their goal. Positive tapes, books, magazines and newsletters are some of those tools where we can start to learn how to have or refresh our positive mental attitudes (P.M.A.).
I have begun publishing my own P.M.A. quarterly newsletter, “The Disabled Challenger”, to promote positive thinking among physical disabled people. It is for you – who work with, are parents of, friends of, or interested in the disabled – very much so, too.
Your feedback is always valued. AACConsumerNet@aacinstitute.org.
