The Mesquite Online News - Texas A&M University-San Antonio

He lived past 15 days: Interview with Ricardo Scott

by Alyssa Zapata

Editor’s Note:

Over the course of the semester, it has been a privilege getting to know some of A&M-San Antonio’s students and surrounding community members through our story series called Magnified. As we approach the end of the semester and reflect on challenges and achievements, we share a compelling interview with Ricardo Scott, a junior level psychology major.

“I was born with Spina Bifida. The easiest way that I can put is, I was born with a spinal cord defect.

When I was born my spine was I guess out of my back, so they had to surgically correct it. At that point, I had a very minimal chance of survival so much that the doctors in Panama  told my mom, ‘Don’t bother getting attached to your kid. He’s not going to last you fifteen days.’ My life has been a battle ever since. Wiith that being said, I had almost instant surgery as soon as I was born, and by the age of one I had already 12 surgeries.

Whether it was my legs, my back, things that happened. Through the course of my life, I did make it past those 15 days. The first couple years of my life were a little difficult according to my mom. When she would tell me stories, she described how I was in and and out of the hospital. As time progressed I would get better, but I would have minor setbacks.

In middle school, I was in the hospital for maybe two months. Throughout my entire schooling, I’ve been pulled in and out of school. I would have to say it was kind of difficult to stay with schooling and not give up at times, but I kinda just pushed through it and here I am today a junior studying psychology.

Today, I am happy. I am pretty healthy, although through the course of my life I’ve had 46 surgeries. I turn 23 in April and I am excited about that. Everybody kind of gets happy on their birthday, but to me it means a little bit more because it signifies another year I made it past those initial 15 days that they gave me. It’s another year I get to prove doctors wrong. Now, my main focus in studying psychology to become a counselor for kids with disabilities. I want to be that driving force in their life, that mentor that can say,  ‘Hey, you may be in this situation, but this is what I went through.’”

It doesn’t necessarily mean your life is over. It could just mean that you just have to do things differently, or you have to find a better ways to do things. That said, I’ve done things such as water skiing and surfing. I’ve gone out and played wheelchair basketball and wheelchair soccer for a team as well.

I did that for a few years and completely loved it. I love the competition, the adrenaline of going full force. It’s a very contact sport so you’re constantly bumping into each other or flipping out of your chairs.

People that watch us and don’t see it on a day-to-day basis, they get scared, they see us flip out of our chairs and see us land on knees and our face.

We’re taught very early on when we start practicing how to brace yourself for a fall or avoid an injury or how to even get up on our own.

That’s another great thing being apart of wheelchair sports and wheelchair community, they teach you how to be very independent.

You do have a wide variety of people that play from former military that were injured in battle, people who were in a car accident or other types of work related injuries.

It is all inclusive, so even an able-bodied person with no medical background problems, wanted to come out and play, they could.

The organization is called STRAPS. We compete in tournaments in surrounding cities. I’ve always wanted to play sports.

When I was younger I used to be that kid that didn’t think anything was available to me or that I could do anything. It is has given me responsibility knowing my team is depending on me, or to make the right play, or to not be selfish with the ball.

I wish there were a lot more people interested in joining. I kind of wish there was more wheelchair inclusion here on campus.

I see the intramurals, they have basketball, soccer, but they don’t necessarily have anything for people with disabilities.

They have the pool table, but I think that though there aren’t a lot of disabled students here for the ones that are here. We can advocate able-body students to try it out as well.

My advice is to always keep your head up. Times might get rough and you might want to give up, but I am a very religious person. I feel like God has His plan, and you may not understand what that plan is at that moment, but in time you will.

It’s very important to surround yourself with people who are genuinely going to be there for you when times get rough to support you, to help you get through it, or even pull you out of a slump.

I have friends who don’t let me get down on myself and find ways around the situation that you’re in. There’s always a way. Where there is a will, there is a way.”

About the Author

Alyssa Zapata
Alyssa Zapata is a junior at Texas A&M-San Antonio. She's a reporter at The Mesquite. Alyssa worked with The Ranger at San Antonio College as a reporter and then editor. She hopes to graduate next fall 2017 with a major in communications and minor in political science. After completing her bachelor's degree, she hopes to work as a producer in broadcasting. She is a part-time optician from Natalia, Texas.

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