DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM) patient, Sharina Jones, will be at RIM Thursday, June 27 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, signing copies of her new self-published autobiography, Life of a Push Goddess.
Life of a Push Goddess is the story of one disabled woman's push through discrimination to prove that not all goddesses are alike. Sharina’s idyllic life turns upside down at age five when she’s shot. Paralyzed from the waist down, she refuses to be confined by a wheelchair. When her father dies and her family falls apart, Sharina’s eating disorder rages out of control and exacts a dangerous toll on her body and self-esteem. Will she conquer her demons and be reunited with the man who loves her as she is?
Through the cruel taunts of classmates to cheerleader tryouts to winning the title of Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2011, Jones’ story is a roller coaster of joy, shock, grief, anger, laughter and expectation. Jones doesn’t claim to be an expert on self-esteem issues or ask for sympathy in her 144-page book. Instead, she offers a look at life from a wheelchair – and how that life is just as hilarious, heartbreaking and hopeful as one walked on two feet. She touches on issues such as discrimination against the disabled and more with brutal honesty and easy humor.
Sharina Jones is a former Ms. Wheelchair Michigan and the founder and president of Think Beyond the Chair, a non-profit agency which provides social activities, events, support, education and advocacy for people with disabilities. Life of a Push Goddess is her first book.
