Welcome! This page is a tribute to my friend and hero, Wade Blank. Wade was one of the founders of Atlantis Community and ADAPT. Wade was a Presbyterian minister, but you would have never guessed it from his looks, or his demeanor. He wasn't "preachy" at all, but very liberal and open-minded. He accepted everyone for who they were, and he hated injustice and intolerance.
Wade was born in Canton, Ohio, and began his life of social justice while he was in college. At the time, he was very conservative, and a supporter of Barry Goldwater. His college room-mate, an African American, accused him of being a racist, which Wade hotly denied. One day, his room-mate told Wade that he was going down to Selma, Alabama to march with Dr. King, and invited him (actually, he dared him) to come along. Wade went, and his life was changed forever!
I met Wade in 1987, while I was still living in Chicago, my home town. I was at a Chicago ADAPT meeting. At the time, I was very new to ADAPT. I had only been around for a year, and had never been on a national action. I had only worked on the local level. At the end of the meeting, I was introduced to Wade, and we immediately hit it off. Wade had studied for the ministry in Chicago, and had also lived and worked on the South Side, in the very neighborhood where I was born! I also discovered that we had three important things in common--both of us were activists to the core of our beings, we loved to read, and we both loved cats!
Almost one year later, I decided that I wanted to work for ADAPT. I called Wade, and asked if there were any job openings. He invited me to come visit him, his wife, Molly, and their family in Denver so that I could see what I thought of things. I went, I saw, and I loved it, but there were no openings in Denver at the time. Wade suggested that I go down to Colorado Springs and apply for a job at the ADAPT office there. I went and applied, then, returned home to Chicago. A few days later, I got the call from the Springs--I had been accepted for the position! I was told that my hire date would be the day that I arrived in Colorado, but that I would have a few days to settle in before I actually started working. I took Greyhound, and since I would have to change buses in Denver to get to the Springs, I decided to stop by and see Wade and Molly. Though I arrived unannounced, they hugged me, and welcomed me warmly. After dinner, I took the bus down to the Springs and arrived at my new place. After a few hours, the significance of the date finally hit me--it was December 4, 1988--Wade's birthday!
After working for two and a half years in Colorado Springs, I was finally able to transfer to Denver, and work directly with Wade. I enjoyed working with Wade because he was caring and patient, and he taught me great leadership skills that I still use to this day. In February of 1993, Wade and his family went on vacation in Todos Santos, Mexico. On Monday, February 15, Wade, Molly, and the kids went to the beach for one last swim. They were flying home later in the day. Wade and Lincoln, who was 8, went swimming while Molly and little Caitlin relaxed on the beach. Lincoln was caught in an undertow, and Wade tried to rescue him, but they both drowned. That day was one of the saddest days of my life. It has been almost ten years, but I still miss Wade and Lincoln. I try to live my life the best way I can. They would have expect nothing less of me. I know that my hero, Wade, and my little buddy, Lincoln are up there watching...
Here
are some pictures of Wade. Let's start out with this one!
I
took this pic of Wade. He loved football, and was a Cleveland Browns Fanatic!
Here's
Wade, and his daughter, Caitlin when she was a baby.
Wade and Lincoln at the park...
Wade
speaking at a celebration for ADAPT. The Regional Transportation District,
Denver's public transit company, had an ADA celebration in honor of ADAPT.
For years, we had protested against RTD, and had blocked their buses because
they were not accessible to people who use wheelchairs. Finally, RTD relented,
and began purchasing lift-equipped buses years before the Americans with
Disabilities Act became law. Now, Denver's public transit system is 100%
accessible. RTD and the city of Denver also placed a plaque at the intersection
of Colfax and Broadway, where the first ADAPT protest took place. There
is also a permanent ADAPT exhibit at the main RTD station. Imagine that??
You protest for years against a company, and then, they honor you for it!!
This
is my favorite picture, because it has both of my heroes in it! Dr. King's
picture is on the wall, and Wade is standing near it. ADAPT had taken over
the offices of Louis Sullivan, then, Secretary of Health and Human Services.
He had consistently refused to meet with us, so we took over his offices
at Morehouse College, where he was also serving as the director of their
medical school.
This
pic was taken in Colorado Springs. We were preparing for an action against
the Department of Social Services. The one in the baseball cap is me!
Protesting
against Social Security in Baltimore...
Salt Lake City, Utah. ADAPT took over a meeting of the Ameican Health Care Association, the most powerful nursing home lobbyists in the country. That's me in the baseball cap sitting almost directly across from Wade. The person standing by the door with his arms folded is AHCA's then president, Paul Wilging.
Two
years after Wade's death, the Regional Transportation District honored
Wade by dedicating Civic Center Station, near Colfax and Broadway, to him.
(Photo by Tim Wheat)
I hope that you liked my tribute. I did it because today would have been Wade's 62nd birthday. You can go back to the main page of the ADAPT site, or go home and see the rest of my house.
You
are visitor #to see my tribute to Wade!