Life and Love With Spinal Muscular Atrophy

by Wendy Henderson | November 16, 2016

In this inspiring video from MDA, we meet Jimmy Valdes and his wife, Julie. Originally from Queens, New York, 47-year-old Jimmy was diagnosed with spinal muscular dystrophy (SMA) in 1971 at two years old.

Find out all about AJ Brockman, the digital artist with SMA.

Jimmy says that although he needs help with all the physical aspects of life, his main source of frustration is not being taken seriously by people who won’t look past his disability and only think about the things he can’t do, rather than the things he can do–like working for CBS Sports for a quarter of a decade. Jimmy talks about how amazing his new wife is and how lucky he feels to have met her.

Meet Joe Akmakjian, a 24-year-old SMA patient who is living independently.

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About the Author

Wendy Henderson Wendy is a proven blogger and social media manager who has helped to build online communities for businesses and organizations. She currently heads the website’s social outreach online through social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.