Born with Cerebral Palsy, Bill Porter was told he was unemployable, and that he should accept his disability. However, the "unstoppable" Bill Porter refused to bow to his disease and was determined to support himself as a door-to-door salesman. In the early 1950's Bill managed to secure a job as a door-to-door salesman for the Watkins company, by taking on an arduous route, and quickly became a successful salesperson. His sheer will and determination to succeed against all odds is inspiring.
His life story has been featured in magazines, newspapers, television shows, and most recently in the Turner Network Television (TNT) original film Door to Door, starring William H. Macy as Bill Porter, Kyra Sedgwick as Shelly Brady - Mr. Porter's long-time friend who has been with him through thick and thin, Helen Mirren, and Kathy Baker. His story is also depicted in the book Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter by Shelly Brady.
Shelly Brady has stood by Bill Porter's side for over 20 years! She and her family have become his family. Mrs. Brady donates much of her time speaking about Mr. Porter and his inspirational story, thus helping others who are going through difficult times in their own lives. She also answers thousands of emails on Mr. Porter's behalf, and is the author of Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter.
The Bright Side contacted these two amazing people, who were kind enough to answer some questions. We hope you find some inspiration in their words:
Questions for Mr. Porter
The Bright Side (TBS): Many people don't know much about Cerebral Palsy. They see a disabled person and associate many negative misconceptions to the condition. What would you like people to know about people such as yourself, that have Cerebral Palsy, that you feel goes unsaid?
Bill Porter: Even though we may look different, we are not different at all!
Shelly Brady: CP is caused by lack of oxygen to the brain usually at birth (or within the first years of life). It can range from being very severe (including no mobility and retardation) to extremely mild (perhaps just a finger or two that won't work right). Bill feels like he is one of the lucky ones because he can get around and has been able to make his way in this world. People have asked me how I felt working for someone with a disability... did it bother me? Of course not, as a teenager, I thought Bill was cool! My mother taught me from an early age that while we may come in different shapes and sizes, from different backgrounds, etc., we are all the same on the inside.
TBS: I can only imagine the kind of teasing and jeering you experienced growing up with this disorder. As the movie "Door to Door " touched on, many people shunned you, and wanted nothing to do with you. This must have affected you emotionally, and must have been very difficult to deal with. What advice can you give kids (and adults) who feel unaccepted and jeered by their peers, to help them cope with the feelings of not belonging.
Bill Porter: I didn't let those things bother me. You just have to keep on trying to help others understand who you are. Once people got to know me, they became my friends. Don't dwell on your handicaps or problems, think about what you do have.
Shelly Brady: Think about what you do have, including the friends that accept you for who you are.
TBS: An interesting moment in the film was when you seemed quite angered and reluctant to accept the Brady's attempts to buy your home and then allow you to live in it. I understand the movie was not completely true to life in that moment, but it portrayed you as having a hard time accepting help from others. Is this true? Were you, or are you still reluctant to ask for help, and if so why? What advice could you offer other people who are struggling in their lives about reaching out for and/or accepting help.
Bill Porter: I always have felt it was important that I contribute something to society. I didn't want to take a check from the government. I knew there was something I could do! But I also know that sometimes I need a little help. I know, I know. I usually write out a check for that help. But sometimes I can't do that, and I just need some help and have to ask, and that's OK too.
Shelly Brady: The movie was not at all true to life in that moment. Bill's back went out in 1993 (4 years before he was hit by a car) and he knew us well enough by then to ask for our help. (this is all detailed in the book [Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter]). We did buy his house and he lives there still. I think Bill has found a pretty good balance between accepting help and paying his own way. Sometimes we argue, like when he wants to write me a check for answering all of these emails... I tell him no. And then he sends me a gift certificate or something. But, he accepts help from the bellhops (without giving them a tip - the movie shows him slipping them a tip - he doesn't)... and he accepts meals from the ladies at church... but he does like to pay his way when he can.
TBS: The movie touched on the issue of loneliness. Do you feel lonely? If so, how do you cope with the loneliness?
Bill Porter: No, I really don't feel lonely. I have the Brady's, and all of my customers who are like family to me. I do miss my mother sometimes. But, again, I like to remember all that I do have.
Shelly Brady: I couldn't say it better!
Questions for Mrs. Brady
TBS: It must have been odd when you first met Mr. Porter as a potential employee, realizing he has CP. I'm sure many people would never have taken the job, yet you did. Why?
Shelly Brady: I thought it was cool that this man with an obvious disability (I didn't know that he had CP until several years later - because I didn't ask) was a successful salesman. He was my boss! From an early age, I learned to look beyond the outside to the inside. Growing up, my best friend was a boy across the street with Down Syndrome. My stepfather was from Holland and spoke with a heavy accent (I learned to be patient to listen and to understand what he was saying - helped with Bill later, didn't it!), and living in Hawaii for 5 years I was a minority, the little "haole" (white) girl. I knew how it felt to be different (although I was just fine with my outgoing personality). All of these experiences helped shape me and helped me to learn to look beyond the outside. I had no problem working for Bill. As a teenager, I really respected his success. Of course, as the years passed we became great friends.
TBS: You have dedicated much of your life to helping another man achieve his dreams. What drove you to spend so much time beyond just "regular work" to become such a good friend and supporter of Mr. Porter?
Shelly Brady: Well, the years passed, and our friendship grew. I think we went through a lot of ups and downs together. I was with him when he lost his mother. That was a very difficult time for him and we simply grew closer, sort of adopted him into our own family.
TBS: You spend so much of your time responding to strangers' emails and queries, and speaking to people about Mr. Porter's life and achievement. Why? What drives you to do what you do instead of just stay home with your family or pursue whatever career you might wish for yourself?
Shelly Brady: I guess I'm the sort of person that "returns her phone calls." Sometimes it's a few days later (and in the case of 11,000 emails it will be a couple of months later) but it will get done. I guess there is a part of me that can't bear to think of all of these people that have seen the movie "Door to Door" or read the book "Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter" and have written and poured their hearts out to Bill and/or me and not get any response at all. That just wouldn't be right! Bill is simply not able to respond to all of these wonderful people. Bill is like family to me and I want to answer. I am trying to work on the right balance (I need to spend a little more time with my family including Bill, with the book and movie release the past few months have been consuming) and will have to cut back on how many I get to a day. . . it may take quite a few months to get to all of these.
TBS: In the film "Door to Door" there are scenes such as the bus accident, or the issue with the house (which I understand was somewhat misrepresented), where you clearly wanted to help Mr. Porter and he seemed to reject your offers. How did that make you feel? Did you ever just think "that's it! I'm done"? How did you overcome these obstacles.
Shelly Brady: Bill is close enough to me and my family now that he doesn't reject our offers to help. As I said, we sometimes argue over whether he should write a check or not. (I tell him to stop it!) I think Bill is stubborn... but... we tease each other all the time... I know he met his match in the stubborn category when he met me! We are both stubborn and have strong wills and I think that is part of what makes us such great friends.
TBS: Everyone seems to focus on Mr. Porter's achievements, and how inspirational his story is. Have you ever stopped to consider how amazing and inspiring YOU are, for having become such a friend and supporter to this man, and to helping and serving the public via your speaking engagements etc.?
Shelly Brady: Not really. Bill has been a part of my life for 22 years now. We are like family to each other. I know we both would do anything for the other. If there never had been any media attention... our lives would be just as they are, only no one would know about it which would have been OK too... Only I am glad his story is being told and touching others!
I'm the first to admit that part of my outgoing personality led me to be a theater major in college. So when companies started calling and asking Bill to share his story (he said no at first), I was able to help him and I felt very comfortable standing on a stage and addressing an audience. I am so grateful my background helped me to do this. It is a very wonderful and positive thing to be able to share such an inspirational story and touch lives all over the world!
To learn more about the "unstoppable" Bill Porter, read Shelly Brady's "Ten Things I Learned from Bill Porter", or visit his website at www.billporter.com. You can also visit the
Door to Door pages within TNT's website.
Copyright (c) 2002 The Bright Side
