ResCare Client Proves That He Is More Than His Medical Condition
For the past 33 years of Jeff Scherer’s life, he has embodied not being defined by the medical condition or disorder that they may have. He is a son, friend, coworker, advocate, college graduate, member of ResCare’s Human Rights Committee (HRC), serves as an Indiana Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) Organizational Team Leader, Allen County Disability Advocacy Council’s Communications Coordinator, and is an all-around extraordinary person living with Cerebral Palsy.
Jeff weighed only 2 pounds 12 ounces at birth. When he was six months old, the doctor told his parents that he would never talk, walk, or go to “normal” school and advised them to put their son in an institution. Fortunately, they did not. With therapy, determination, and perseverance, he has overcome many obstacles. He spoke in complete sentences at the age of two. He attended elementary, middle, and high school until his graduation day from New Haven High School. Jeff walked across the stage using his gait trainer to accept his Core 40 Diploma. He then went onto college and graduated with an associate degree in Business Management from Ivy Tech.
Jeff has grown up living with his parents in their family home in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He receives periodic services from ResCare staff as well as continuous physical, mental, and emotional support and guidance from his parents. Jeff is currently in the process of moving into a new chapter of his life, advancing his independence by transitioning into a ResCare 24/7 waiver home by the end of the year!
Jeff is well known for his positive attitude, persistence, patience, and drive to advocate for himself and others. He enjoys participating in activities involving advocacy, volunteering, cleaning spools alongside his coworkers at his pre-vocational workshop, and attending sporting events, especially Fort Wayne’s baseball team, the Tin Caps!
His main objectives in life are to improve community awareness for individuals with disabilities and to teach others how to treat everyone equally – just as he asks others to treat him.