“We could all learn a lot from Jimmy.”
This loving statement is shared by Betty Erskine, mother of Jimmy Erskine and wife of baseball legend Carl Erskine, in the documentary, “The Carl Erskine Story: The Best We’ve Got.” I find myself hearing that over and over in my head.
I am not much of a baseball fan but I am a sucker for a good love story, small town people making it big, and definitely stories that highlight the achievements of people with disabilities. When award-winning filmmaker Ted Green reached out to me a few years ago to talk about producing a documentary about Carl Erskine, I was thrilled and curious to learn how all that Carl and his family encompass would be made into a 90-minute film.
If you have not yet seen the documentary, I encourage you to. Don’t go in thinking you will only learn about Carl’s baseball career and his friendship with Jackie Robinson. While that is an important part of Carl’s story, there is so much more. Thanks to Ted Green’s masterful work, you will come away with a wonderful sense about the difference that can be made in the world through kindness, respect, and the willingness to learn from others.
The Carl Erskine story goes beyond baseball to share how the birth of his and Betty’s son, Jimmy, impacted not just their family, but countless families and individuals with disabilities.
When Jimmy was born with Down syndrome in 1960, the Erskines were instructed to place him in an institution and move on with their lives. They were having none of that. Jimmy joined his brothers and sister at home and became an integral part of his Anderson, Indiana community. That act led so many to learn from Jimmy and other children whose parents refused a doctor’s instruction to institutionalize their loved ones.
Those children, along with Jimmy, showed that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) truly can live, learn, work and play in communities throughout the country if given the opportunity. The documentary shares the story of how the Erskines and other pioneering parents were inspired by their children to come together to form what today is The Arc in order to ensure their children had those opportunities. Their neighbors, classmates, church members and employers have come to learn that people with IDD really are not so “different” and that they bring value to their schools, community and workplaces.
Too often we connect ourselves with people who think the same as us and see things from the same vantage point. Think about what could happen if we all reach out to those who are “different” from us. Some of my favorite lawmakers are those that I don’t always agree with, but I respect their willingness to be educated to think differently or view an issue from a different lens. I also come away with new perspectives. I don’t think that happens often enough these days. It is what I think about when I hear Betty Erskine say, “We could all learn a lot from Jimmy.”
My message is, we can all grow and learn from people who are different from us and challenge us to see things from a new perspective. Who knows what positive changes may happen by taking that simple step.
Jimmy Erskine passed away recently. At the time he was born, few imagined the difference his life of perseverance, love and kindness would make.
“We could all learn a lot from Jimmy.”
Kim Dodson is chief executive officer of The Arc of Indiana. This commentary previously appeared at indianacapitalchronicle.com. Send comments to [email protected].
