Van Graef

Not Just Walking: from Gifted Athlete to Quadriplegic--a Life of Multiple Sclerosis with the Help of True Love Van Graef

Not Just Walking is the straightforward autobiography of a guy who absolutely enjoyed most moments of his not-so-everyday life-even as he dealt with a tumultuous childhood and the ravages of multiple sclerosis. Growing up in New Jersey was a tumultuous experience for author Van E. Graef: his parents' marital problems eventually led to their divorce and a babysitter sexually abused him when he was four years old. The one thing that provided him solace was fishing, whether it was at Highland Lakes by the family cabin, Swartswood Lake, or Peters Brook. As he got older, Graef began to demonstrate strong athletic talent. In high school he played football and basketball, and he excelled in baseball. By the time he was a senior, Graef had won an award for his athletic ability. It was during this time that he began to notice what he later realized to be early symptoms of multiple sclerosis: fatigue, followed by numbness in his hands and feet. The symptoms progressed to the point that Graef had to be confined to a wheelchair, and, eventually, he became a quadriplegic. Not Just Walking details Graef's ongoing struggle with the crippling effects of multiple sclerosis and how he copes through humor, faith, and old-fashioned love.