Me Before You Movie…Better Dead than Disabled

What we thought was a love story, the movie is much more than that. With Kelly living with quadriplegia the last 18 years and Corina his sole daily caregiver…this movie really touched home. We wanted to see it because we heard it’s a love story of a quadriplegic and his caregiver. They did a great job of showing that life as a quadriplegic is very difficult with many life threatening medical needs on a daily basis, sometimes minute to minute. As well, as showing that there can be love after paralysis! If they would have ended the movie with him being thankful for all he has in life; with someone new in his life that loves him, and to show the world that he’s still a person/still a man, that despite the disability he’s been faced with…he’s still “Will” and his life isn’t over just because he’s got a spinal cord injury; then that would have been a better more accurate ending in our opinion. That would have been a better message to the world that shows what life after paralysis can, and really does, look like in many people’s lives.

We get the whole “but it’s his choice if he wants to live” debate. But this is so Hollywood…to portray to the world that someone with quadriplegia is better dead than disabled instead of showing the TRUTH! The truth that there are so many people affected by spinal cord injury that STILL WANT TO LIVE! No it’s not easy, and no it’s not always fun (though we do have fun). It is hard and it is a struggle for us. Most people with paralysis would say of course they don’t want to deal with that type of injury and wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But they’re still a HUMAN! They still have thoughts, desires, opinions, jobs, spouses, children, hobbies, you name it!!!

The storyline comes across “better dead than disabled” and some of Will’s last words were, “This world will be a better place without me”. It emphasized that the able-bodied life was worth living, while the disabled not worth living. It was shallow with a very dark ending and to some it may unfortunately seem like an invitation to suicide. We would just hate for anyone to watch this and think life isn’t worth living after a spinal cord injury! We are proof that it is!

The movie showed that Will having all the money he needs, with a beautiful home, nice vehicle, supportive parents, and someone in his life that loves him…still wasn’t enough.

Yet we know many people that have much less in life, including all that we have endured and suffered without, that are living happy meaningful lives. On the contrary, we have seen many able-bodied people more paralyzed by their own fear, ego, selfishness & greed…that are so unhappy & they aren’t even living their life to the fullest. They hate their job, or their spouse and focus on the negative trivial things in their life, rather than counting their blessings. They ruin relationships, divide marriages and destroy their families. Yet people can look at someone with a spinal cord injury and assume and say they are better dead than disabled, when most people living with quadriplegia are truly grateful to be alive.

We know it’s just a movie, and it’s Hollywood. But a better ending with the truth would have been Will overcoming his fears and his loss that he was faced with. It could have showed that even amongst his tragedy and all he suffered, him being thankful for his blessings & overcoming this tragedy by having faith, strength and caring for others instead of just himself. It could have ended with them having true love which is 100% possible and them getting married, having children, traveling, and doing all the things he still could do in life.

The message that this movie portrays goes against who we are and the life we just lived the last 18+ years. We read a statistic recently that there are approx. 250,000-300,000 people living with SCI in the U.S. It said most people have never and will never even know a quadriplegic in their lifetime. As well, we read the writer of the book and movie has never met a quadriplegic in her life, yet wrote this book/movie portraying this awful negative message of paralysis to the world.

We’re not trying to change the end of the movie…again, we know it’s just a movie. But our ending after tragic paralysis is so different. That’s why we founded the KCT Project, where we are sharing our story and encouraging others to live life to the fullest and that life IS worth living.

God has made each person unique. There’s only one you. You are special. God can use anyone for His purpose and bless them with a beautiful life, no matter what your circumstance. It’s up to YOU!

xoxo,

Kelly & Corina

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