Get Off Your Knees

Growing up, John Robinson never considered himself an inspiration to others. He was born a congenital amputee and stands three foot eight as an adult. Although he has no extension of his arms or legs, he has not been limited in his career or in his personal life. After graduating from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, he went on to work for NBC affiliates in upstate New York and today is the director of corporate support for WMHT, the public broadcasting television station in Albany. Robinson’s success did not come easily. From learning how to dress himself after going away to college, to making new friends and feeling accepted, he struggled to come to terms with his disability and make a life on his own. Although his journey may not be considered "normal," he does not see this as an obstacle, but as an opportunity to succeed and to understand the meaning of responsibility. Robinson writes in an honest, personal voice, showing that a disability does not have to get in the way of an education, a career, a family, or one of his favorite hobbies, golf. Get Off Your Knees is a touching story and, as Robinson says, is for "anyone who feels they need inspiration, whether it be an individual with a mental or physical disability, parents of children with disabilities, or someone looking to overcome an obstacle in life."