Franklin D. Roosevelt

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882–1945) was the 32nd President of the United States. He was in office for four terms and led the U.S. through The Great Depression and World War II. However, it is less well known that he was a wheelchair user.

Disability and Rehab

While vacationing at his family cottage in New Brunswick, Canada, in 1921, FDR fell off his yacht. For a few days after this the power in his legs deteriorated. It reached the point where they could no longer bare his weight. He was initially mis-diagnosed as having a blood clot in his lower back. However, a few days later he was told he had infantile paralysis/ poliomyelitis, better known as polio. FDR’s initial response was (and I’m paraphrasing here) “INFANTile paralysis!! But I’m a 39 year old man!’. However, when the doctor informed him that having a weak immune system made him susceptible, he accepted the diagnosis. The polio left FDR paralysed from the waist down.

FDR was an incredibly determined man. He set his mind on making a full recovery from his ailments and neglected politics for a few years. He exercised constantly and maintained a good spirit. He tried various methods to improve his condition, of which swimming and hydrotherapy were the most effective.