"Danny was born in ’46, and at that time they said he would never walk or talk. I have to laugh every time I say that because I was determined he was going to walk and talk."
Danny Powell was born in Dayton. As a teenager, he was sent to a home for people with developmental disabilities. For four years, Danny Powell lived at Orient Developmental Center, a state facility in Orient, Ohio, which closed in 1984 due to a lawsuit. Danny's mother, Eunice Powell fought to improve conditions in the facility. Eunice later served on the Montgomery County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. That's where she met Julia Bell, who also has a son with disabilities. Julia and Eunice came to StoryCorps to reflect on raising - and fighting for - children with disabilities. Danny passed away in 2006 at age 60.
(Originally broadcast October 27, 2010)