Success Story
“I got so many doors closed in my face it was pitiful.”
Wilbert Bolden lost his leg when his car was struck by a drunken
driver 1982, but it wasn’t until nearly 20 years later that it
became a real obstacle.
Wilbert resumed his welding
business after recovering from the accident, but in later years
realized that line of work had become too physically demanding.
“I couldn’t get around as well as I could when I was younger,”
said Wilbert. “So I decided to go back to school.” Always
interested in electronics, he enrolled in Shelton State
Community College in Tuscaloosa. Driving 120 miles round trip
from his home in Forkland to attend classes, Wilbert earned
degrees in industrial electricity and industrial electronics,
graduating with a 3.9 GPA.
That’s when his real education
began. “I applied for more than 25 jobs and never got beyond the
first interview,” he said. “I guess they couldn’t see past the
one-leg thing.” Discouraged, but determined, Wilbert contacted
Alabama Department of Rehabilitation Services (ADRS)
Rehabilitation Counselor Starr Hudson for help. After making
arrangements to provide him with a prosthesis for his leg, she
and Rod Cahoon of the West Alabama Rehabilitation Center in
Tuscaloosa put Wilbert through the evaluation process and
reviewed their files of area businesses to locate a suitable
employer.
In Demopolis, they found what appeared to be
the perfect match – Marvin’s, a home supply store. Manager Stacy
Harrison noticed Wilbert’s electronics background and was quick
to hire him to help in that section. A few months later, Wilbert
was working in practically every area of the store, including
the warehouse and lumber yard where he operated the forklift. “I
can’t believe those other employers wouldn’t give him a chance,”
said Harrison. “But their loss was our gain.”
Today,
almost 20 years after his accident and one unforgettable year of
frustration, Wilburn is looking with confidence to the future.
“I see opportunities for advancement with this company,” said
Wilbert, “and I’d like to go to the top.” With the encouragement
of his store manager, and the support of the ADRS rehabilitation
team that is there to help when the need arises, Wilbert is well
on his way, in spite of his physical limitations. “My advice to
others who have disabilities is: don’t give up,” he said. “And
utilize Vocational Rehab. They have lots of resources and can
help you a lot.”
