Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability

Shane Burcaw was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a rare illness that prevents his muscles from growing. As a result, as he’s gotten older, his physique has gotten smaller and weaker rather than bigger and stronger. This hasn’t stopped him from doing the things he enjoys with the people he cares about (like eating pizza and playing sports and video games), but it does mean that he needs help with everything from cleaning his teeth to rolling over in bed.