Looking for true story about adopting children with physical disabilities

January 30, 2010 1:24 PM

I'm looking for a book I read in the mid '90's. It was a true story about a couple that adopted a bunch (8?) of kids with physical disabilities. I can't remember much about the book but I think their house had stairs and they made one child do push-ups until he could climb the stairs using only his arms. Oh, also I think they didn't have a tv. What is the title?
posted by ticketmaster10 to Human Relations (5 answers total)

Best answer: I remember that book, too.

The DeBolts?
posted by spinifex23 at 1:26 PM on January 30, 2010

Response by poster: I think so. Thank you!
posted by ticketmaster10 at 1:43 PM on January 30, 2010

Hey, their daughter Noel is a friend of mine. She's truly an wonderful, generous person with a lot of love for her siblings.
posted by 26.2 at 3:25 PM on January 30, 2010

Awesome! Np, ticketmaster10!
posted by spinifex23 at 1:32 AM on January 31, 2010

Not only is it a book, but there is a documentary about them. As a small child, if I ever whined that I couldn't do something, my stepmother would sit me down and make me watch this for the umpteenth time. There is a part where a little girl without any limbs dresses herself, and my stepmother would ALWAYS say, "If she can do that, you can do anything!" It usually shut me up pretty quickly. I have been a fan of the Debolts for most of my life.
posted by msali at 8:55 AM on January 31, 2010 [1 favorite]