PA Podiatrist to Write Book About Overcoming Challenges
"Cheer up," a therapist might tell a couple when things look bleak. But for some, cheerfulness and hope infuse everything they do. Such a man is Robby Wiemer of Havertown. Wiemer, 35, and his wife, Carrie, 32, have four daughters, three of whom are disabled and whose lives have hung in the balance more than once. "It takes faith in God and a positive attitude," Wiemer says. "When you see people in these life-altering situations, most people become depressed. We kept a positive attitude even in the worst of times."
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Dr. Robby Wiemer |
Wiemer, a busy Havertown podiatrist, tells anyone who will listen about his "unique family," how identical twins Callie and Cassie, now 10, were born with Down syndrome and developed leukemia at age 2, within days of each other. Then, daughter Kendyll, 7, was born with cerebral palsy. She uses a wheelchair, can't speak, and eats through a feeding tube. A fourth daughter, Ryleigh, 4, is the only one not disabled.
The chance that one family should be dealt such a daunting set of challenges is remote; that the same family should be happy despite the three girls' disabilities is even more remarkable, Wiemer believes. He has used that theme to craft the outline of a book called Breaking the Odds: The Wiemer Family Story. Shortly after he mailed off the proposal, two book publishers offered contracts, and several others were interested, Wiemer says. "We are happy with our lives," Robby Wiemer writes. "Many days are still challenging, but we try to expose our kids to almost everything. There are no limitations, and great expectations."
Source: Bonnie L. Cook. Philadelphia Inquirer [5/6/07]
