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PEOPLE WITH CRPS | THEIR STORIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Wilson H. Hulley
floor, “pawing” light switches on or off, and
retrieving items from counters or even the
WHEN WILSON HULLEY WAS
refrigerator. Most important for someone
DIAGNOSED WITH RSD, he
like Wilson, Star allowed him to be independent-she
acted as a cane when his bal-
figured he had two choices:
cave in and let the syndrome
ance was compromised and, because his
and the ensuing disability
legs are painfully tender to the touch, she
destroy him or continue to fight for the
acted as a buffer between him and other
rights of people with disabilities. Two years
people in a crowd.
before the onset of RSD, Wilson had
Beyond the practical aspects, assistance
joined the President’s Committee on the
dogs also provide emotional support. “Pain
Employment of People with Disabilities.
places both physical and emotional restrictions
on our lives, and although medication
On the Committee, he was Special Assistant
to the Executive Director, Advisor to
and other treatment modalities help, those
the Chairman and to The President, and
of us disabled by CRPS often can use the
Wilson Hulley and his assistance dog, Star
a member of their Executive Staff; Wilson
‘leg up’ provided by a canine companion.
helped develop the language for the Americans
with Disabilities Act, which President George H. Bush can break down the social and physical barriers often imposed
Also, an affectionate, highly trained canine
signed into law.
by a disability,” he says.
A car accident in 1986 left Wilson with a traumatic brain Wilson continues to be dogged in his fight for the rights of
injury and the many months of rehabilitation gave him a special
insight into the challenges that face people with disabilities. CRPS. As a member of the Board of Directors of RSDSA, he
people with disabilities, and specifically for those who have
Having held a number of senior management positions in the communicates with others who have the syndrome and has
private and public sector, Wilson’s resume reads like a “Who’s served as an advocate when necessary. He is particularly interested
in the plight of returning war veterans who suffer chronic
Who” and his experience and contacts gave him a definite edge.
For example, he was working with the Committee when the pain. Beyond the RSD community, Wilson serves on the
memorial for President Franklin Roosevelt was being designed. Northwest Airlines Customer Advisory Board on Disabilities,
There was a lot of discussion about whether to portray him for whom he reviews disability policies for both employees and
in a wheelchair or not. Wilson recalls writing a note to then passengers. Also, having been mugged twice since becoming
President Bill Clinton that said, “Mr. President. Just do it!” The disabled, Wilson recently retired from the board of directors of
wheelchair won.
the National Organization for Victims Assistance. And, he
Wilson’s “Just do it!” attitude has served him well. For serves as the advisor to the International Association of Assistance
Dog Partners; where he and Star were honored in 2004
example, when he realized in 1994 that he needed help getting
around, he applied for an assistance dog from the National with the Unsung Hero Award; just one of many awards and
Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) in Princeton, honors he has received in his lifetime of serving others.
Massachusetts. Star, a British Black Labrador Retriever, helped Like others who suffer from CRPS, the magnitude of Wilson’s
personal loss is huge but unlike so many others, he contin-
Wilson negotiate the world for 10 years (she recently passed
away at the age of 12. He is awaiting his second assistance dog ues to be empowered to make the world a better, safer, and
from NEADS). Although we don’t automatically associate assistance
dogs with people in pain, they can do multiple things
happier place for those who are disabled.
that make life manageable, such as picking things up from the
“ … an affectionate, highly trained canine can break
down the social and physical barriers often
imposed by a disability.” WILSON HULLEY
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