NO `CAN'T' IN MR. T'S LEXICON.Byline: DENNIS McCARTHY Dennis McCarthy may refer to:
Mr. T This article is about the actor. For the animated series, see Mister T (TV series). For other uses, see Mr. T (disambiguation). Mr. T (legally changed his name from Laurence Tureaud), (born on May 21 1952), is an iconic actor known for his roles as Sgt. "B. A. walked into the Caribou Caribou, town, United States Caribou (kâr`ĭb  ), town (1990 pop. 9,415), Aroostook co., NE Maine, on the Aroostook River; inc. 1859. Room at the Sportsmen's Lodge The Sportsmen's Lodge in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles, California is something of a kitsch landmark but remains a popular spot for celebrations, dinners and public events. on
Saturday to a standing ovation from family and friends throwing him a
surprise retirement party.
No, not the Mr. T who played the soft-hearted tough guy knocking down thugs on the classic 1980s TV series ``The A-Team.'' Another Mr. T -- a soft-hearted yet tough teacher named Jim Townsend, who spent 36 years knocking down stereotypes. A few of the students in his early special-needs classes thought it would be easier to call him Mr. T. Townsend himself has cerebral palsy cerebral palsy (sərē`brəl pôl`zē), disability caused by brain damage before or during birth or in the first years, resulting in a loss of voluntary muscular control and coordination. . The umbilical cord umbilical cord (ŭmbĭl`ĭkəl), cordlike structure about 22 in. (56 cm) long in the pregnant human female, extending from the abdominal wall of the fetus to the placenta. was wrapped around his neck when he was born, cutting off oxygen to his brain for precious minutes. Doctors told his parents he wasn't going to live. Mr. T lived. Then they said he wasn't going to walk or talk. Mr. T walked and talked. Finally, doctors warned his parents to be prepared because their son was going to be a slow learner. Mr. T became the first college graduate in his family. He then spent 36 years teaching thousands of students in traditional and special-education classes to never, ever say the word ``can't.'' ``I've got a limitation, not a handicap,'' Townsend said earlier this week, discussing the condition that affects the use of his left arm and hand. At the start of every school year, Mr. T has walked into class with his shoelaces untied. He's smiled at the kids as they stared at his left arm hanging at his side, then reached down and tied the laces into a bow with only his right hand, causing a lot of mouths to drop. That was the first of many lessons the kids have learned as Mr. T taught them to forget the word ``can't.'' ``You know the old cliche about teachers serving as role models? Well, Jim is the real thing,'' says Vera Highland, who teaches with him at Burton Street Elementary School elementary school: see school. in Panorama City. ``He's a passionate, caring, down-to-earth guy who is sensitive to all his students' needs -- openly and honestly discussing whatever problems they may have. ``He's the truth -- a real role model.'' Because Mr. T occasionally has seizures, surprises are not a good idea. So when he walked into the Caribou Room on the pretense of attending a birthday party for his sister, no one yelled, ``Surprise!'' ``We let him see us all there first, then we stood up and clapped,'' said his niece, Brandee Reudy. ``You should have seen the look on his face when he realized what was happening. It was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.'' He's a lucky man, Mr. T says. Great family, good friends, and countless memories of teaching kids with limitations, not handicaps. But it's time It's Time was a successful political campaign run by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) under Gough Whitlam at the 1972 election in Australia. Campaigning on the perceived need for change after 23 years of conservative (Liberal Party of Australia) government, Labor put forward a to look for new challenges. He plans to retire in June and spend time volunteering at local hospitals, helping young cerebral palsy patients forget the word ``can't.'' The passing of a friend is always sad, but I can't help but think that Ward Grant, who died last week at his Burbank home of congestive heart failure congestive heart failure, inability of the heart to expel sufficient blood to keep pace with the metabolic demands of the body. In the healthy individual the heart can tolerate large increases of workload for a considerable length of time. , is smiling now. The veteran entertainment public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most man is back where he belongs -- standing in the wings with Bob Hope, getting him ready to play the main room. ``Ward was our go-to man for 33 years,'' said Linda Hope, Bob's daughter. ``He was the most conscientious, warm person, and always filled with good humor Noun 1. good humor - a cheerful and agreeable mood amiability, good humour, good temper humour, mood, temper, humor - a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling; "whether he praised or cursed me depended on his temper at the time"; and good will. He was a tremendous asset to my dad and the Hope family.'' Ward, 75, was also one of the most honest publicists I've dealt with during my 35 years in newspapers. His word was his bond. A memorial service will be at 11a.m. Saturday at St.James Episcopal Church, 3903 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Contributions can be made to Childhelp, 15757 N. 78th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85260. dennis.mccarthy(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3749 CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Jim Townsend, who was born with celebral palsy and not expected to live long, is greeted by co-workers Georgina Munoz, left, and Kathy Naylor during a surprise party that celebrated Townsend's retirement after 36 years of teaching. Evan Yee/Staff Photographer |
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