Brooke Ellison
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox person Brooke Mackenzie Ellison (October 20, 1978 – February 4, 2024) was an American academic, disability advocate, and the first person with quadriplegia to graduate from Harvard University.
Life and careerEdit
Ellison was born in Rockville Centre, New York, on October 20, 1978, to Edward and Jean (née Derenze) Ellison.<ref name="NYT-Obit">Template:Cite news</ref> On September 4, 1990, at age 11, she was hit by a car while walking home from school, resulting in paralysis from the neck down. Although her injuries left her completely dependent on other people, she graduated from Ward Melville High School in 1996 with high honors, and was accepted to Harvard.<ref name="Vizas">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard with a bachelor of science in cognitive neuroscience in 2000<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and a master's degree in public policy from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government,<ref name=Progress>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> making her the first quadriplegic to graduate from Harvard.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2014, Rutgers University awarded Ellison an honorary doctorate in humane letters.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She completed her Ph.D. in 2012 from Stony Brook University.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2002, Ellison's memoir Miracles Happen: One Mother, One Daughter, One Journey, which she co-wrote with her mother following her graduation from Harvard, was published.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
The Brooke Ellison StoryEdit
The Brooke Ellison Story premiered in 2004, based on Ellison's 2002 memoir Miracles Happen: One Mother, One Daughter, One Journey. The television film was directed by Christopher Reeve, the star of Superman, who himself had quadriplegia. Ellison was portrayed by Vanessa Marano as a child and Lacey Chabert as a teenager. It is also notable for being Reeve's final directing project. The film aired on the A&E network on October 25, 2004.<ref name=Progress /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Candidacy for State SenateEdit
Ellison ran for New York State Senate as a Democrat in 2006<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> but was defeated by the Republican incumbent, John Flanagan.<ref name=Progress /> One of Ellison's principal issues was her support for embryonic stem cell research.<ref name=Progress /> She served on the advisory board of the Genetics Policy Institute.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Later lifeEdit
Ellison was a professor in the School of Health Technology and Management at Stony Brook University and a motivational speaker.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In November 2015, Ellison teamed up with director James Siegel to create the award-winning documentary "Hope Deferred",<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which aims to educate the general public about embryonic stem cell research.
Ellison was an advocate for accessible technology. She served as Vice President of Tech Access for United Spinal Association beginning in January 2023 following her 2022 appointment to their board.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="quinn">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Two decades following the publication of Miracles Happen, Ellison wrote and published her second book, Look Both Ways in 2021.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Ellison died at Stony Brook University Hospital on February 4, 2024, at age 45, of complications from quadriplegia.<ref name="quinn"/><ref name=“NYT-Obit”>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
BooksEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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