Patricia Sampson Harkness

What if the Glass Breaks: Life of a Disability Activist Patricia Sampson Harkness

An Extraordinary Story... An Extraordinary Life... Bob Sampson was born with muscular dystrophy at a time when little was known about the disease. Despite a lack of medical knowledge, a school system unprepared and unwilling to provide for children with special needs, and a nearly fatal case of scarlet fever, Bob not only survived-he thrived. He graduated with a law degree from DePaul University and worked in the Corporation Counsel's Office for Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. He served on an advisory committee for Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter and appeared on nearly 30 Muscular Dystrophy Association telethons with Jerry Lewis. As vice president of United Airlines, he was a driving force behind numerous changes in the transportation industry related to access for persons with disabilities. Bob Sampson did not set out to become a disability rights activist. He spent his life overcoming obstacles and reaching goals that would intimidate even the most able-bodied, and in the process he helped change the lives of countless others. Told from his daughter's point of view and including commentary from prominent and public figures, "What If The Glass Breaks" paints a fascinating picture of an extraordinary man.