Valrico Resident Advocates on Behalf of Disabled as Ms. Wheelchair Florida

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant, Laura-Lee Minutello is busy spreading her message of acceptance and understanding.

Diagnosed with cerebral palsy as an infant, Laura-Lee Minutello learned early on in life what it meant to be a disabled person in an able-bodied world. The 24-year-old Valrico resident, who uses a wheelchair, was just 7 years old when her mother, Marcia, took her to Busch Gardens the first time, intending to give the little girl a day of carefree fun. The mother and daughter soon discovered, however, that the theme park wasn’t designed for children in wheelchairs. There was no way for her to access the theme park’s train; many of the thrill rides required riders to mount steps; and the magical Land of the Dragons she looked forward to playing in was virtually inaccessible to a child in a wheelchair. Marcia Minutello remembers placing her …

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