A lesson in accepting help: NUWC Division, Keyport employees rally to support coworker with disability

Courtesy Photo | When Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport Training Specialist Sheldon Hooker found himself struggling with daily tasks due to his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—a neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons—a group of coworkers and neighbors formed the “ALS Support Team” to help him with tasks that had become too difficult for him to manage. Through this experience, Sheldon learned an important lesson about accepting help and building connections when faced with adversity. (Courtesy photo, U.S. Navy/Released)  

KEYPORT, WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES

07.22.2024

Story by Public Affairs Office 

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport

There are aspects of living with a disability others may not understand, one of them being the ability to accept help. For many individuals with disabilities, day-to-day tasks can pose significant challenges, and, depending on an individual’s specific needs and disability, they may require assistance from others to complete such tasks. Acknowledging and accepting help from others is an opportunity to allow them to express their friendship and support. Rebuffing offers of help or denying the need for help can discourage others from offering support in the future. The following is an account of a recent event showcasing the support received by a disabled employee from his coworkers at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport.

I work in the Instructional Media Development Group at NUWC Division, Keyport, Code 413, making training videos and supporting graphics. This January I was diagnosed with a terminal disease known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. ALS is a neurodegenerative condition where the motor neurons both in the brain and along the spine start to degrade and die. This causes weakness in muscles as well as the atrophy or shrinking of muscles over time. The average lifespan of an individual with ALS is three to five years, and I am currently in my third year. Over the last three years I have experienced loss of muscle, strength and balance throughout most of my body. Simple tasks like walking and carrying items have now become difficult and tiring.

One of the biggest lessons I've had to learn along my journey with a disability is to accept and direct well-meaning offers of help from others. As someone who always used to be physically fit and willing to jump in and help others, I feel awkward now having to ask for help, especially as the level of support I require increases. I've had to suppress my pride and learn to accept help when it is offered, whether it's for something small like holding a door open or carrying something, or for more significant needs that are even more challenging to ask for. As my health has declined significantly over the last year, my need for assistance has grown. Many of the tasks I once performed normally are now simply out of range due to my disability.

During the past few months my ability to perform manual labor has drastically decreased, which means several of the normal jobs around my house like mowing the grass and pressure washing have gone undone. While this generally has not been a big issue, it needed to be addressed recently in preparation for my daughter's high school graduation party. So, when one of my coworkers expressed a desire to help, I graciously accepted. My project lead reached out and asked if other members of our code would be willing to help as well, then organized a team. A date and time to meet were set and I created a list of tasks I needed help with.

At 9 a.m. on a beautiful Saturday, the team showed up with pressure washers and other tools needed to complete my list of projects. Of course, feeling a little guilty about not being able to work myself, I provided the donuts, drinks and coffee to get the crew started. I went over my project list to answer any questions and provide input where necessary, and the team aggressively began work. Over the next four hours they knocked out all my projects, exceeding all expectations. Upon completion, my yard and deck areas looked great and were ready for use by friends and family during the upcoming graduation celebration.

As I talked with people throughout the day, I made a point of personally thanking each of them for their time and willingness to help. While the few hours they gave up on a Saturday might have seemed like a small thing to them, the willingness of so many to help was more than I had expected. In total, more than 10 people from our unit showed up to help, some bringing along spouses and friends. It was great to see the camaraderie of my coworkers outside of our usual work routine. In addition to coworkers, neighbors of mine who are ex-Navy came to help. Their contributions were well received, and they worked seamlessly with the rest of the group. We capped the day off with a group photo and shared a meal together.

This experience has helped me focus on humility and allowing others to lend a hand when and how they are able. It has also allowed me to form deeper connections with family, friends and coworkers. Having so many people reach out and ask, “How can I help?” is a true blessing. I encourage everyone with a disability to allow others to help when and how they can, bringing them into your family of support people.

Pictured is the team that helped on that Saturday. Each member is wearing a shirt with my personal slogan, “KEEP ON KEEPING ON” and the name of my support team, “ALS SUPPORT TEAM,” on the front, as a reminder of my appreciation for their help. The back features a graphic indicating the wearer is part of my inner support circle and the slogan "TALK IS CHEAP - I SHOWED UP." Since my last name is Hooker, I call my group of helpers the fraternal order of the Happy Hooker Helpers.

Editor's note: story contributed by Sheldon Hooker, training specialist, Code 413 Instructional Media Development Group.

-KPT-

NUWC Division, Keyport provides advanced technical capabilities for test and evaluation, in-service engineering, maintenance and industrial base support, fleet material readiness, and obsolescence management for undersea warfare to expand America’s undersea dominance.

• Date Taken: 07.22.2024
• Date Posted: 07.23.2024 15:38
• Story ID: 476759
• Location: KEYPORT, WASHINGTON, US