Frank Ryan was a young boy when he decided his future. Unfortunately, he told his friends and family. They laughed at him.

"You're not able," his father said.

Still, Frank persisted. He wanted to be a doctor, regardless of his disability.

He was born with Cerebral Palsy. His hands were unsteady when he tried to grab things and needed both hands to hold a glass filled with liquid. He always joked, "Being a bartender is out of the question."

He, however, admired the many doctors who took care of him as a young boy and promised himself that he wanted to grow up and help children as the doctors did for him.

Because of his affliction, Frank had a problem with walking. His legs were unstable, and he dragged his left foot when he walked. Occasionally, he would fall and when people stared at him on the ground, he mused, "The ant tripped me."

Although children laughed and teased him, he never gave up on overcoming the obstacles that challenged his daily life because he remembered the courageous woman, Helen Keller.

She was blind and deaf who became a social worker, author, and an activist for the disabled.

While growing up, Frank adhered to Ms. Keller's words, "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar." He abided by her encouraging words many times during his challenges of his life, especially the rejections he endured.

At sixteen, Frank wanted to get a job to pay for his college education. No one wanted to hire him, not even his uncle, who owned a drugstore. Finally, a door opened for Frank.

Mr. Carter owned several newsstands with his brother, Ike. Mr. Carter was also an ex-soldier who lost his eyesight during a combat mission in Korea. He gave Frank the job.

Of course, Frank was shocked at first that somebody finally gave him a job. He also felt guilty that the man was unaware of Frank's disability.

"I have Cerebral Palsy," the boy said.

"Can you make change?" Mr. Carter asked.

Frank opened his eyes wide, quite surprise by such a question. "Of course," he replied.

"That's all I need to know. I judge people on what they can do, not what they can't."

Mr. Carter's words gave Frank perspective regardless of his disability. Some people are willing to give him an opportunity when he made that extra effort.

He continued that philosophy throughout his academic career. However, no matter how much he tried, someone always put up a hurdle in his way.

It happened in his English class at college. A group decided on a walk-a-thon to collect money for Cancer. The group decided making it into a race. They divided the members into two teams, with the winning team with the most money having their dinner paid by the losing team. On the day the students were choosing the team, nobody selected Frank because he walked too slow.

Although Frank felt bad by their rejection, he refused having his impairment impede his way of pursuing an act of kindness. He jumped that hurdle by riding his bicycle around town with a sign on the back of his bike, promoting donations to Children's Hospital.

While the English class was having dinner, he was being congratulated by the hospital staff for his gift of $1,000.00 that he received from the community after eighteen hours of pedaling his bike.

His persistence of conquering obstacles throughout college and medical school never ended. The achievements he obtained throughout his academic period were completed with the fortitude of endless hours of study and ignoring the prejudices of others.

Dr. Frank Ryan completed his residency in pediatrics, specializing in pulmonology. He not only saved lives, but gave children the courage to cope with their affliction and achieve their goals in life.

After his quest of becoming a doctor, his disability continued to be the focus in his life. Even his peers would ignore his accomplishments and distrust Dr. Ryan's capabilities, which was based not on his merit but on his broken body.

As life continued, he constantly battled the obstacles that confronted him by remembering the words of Helen Keller and believing that being disabled does not mean being unable.