SCI Superstar: Lex Frieden

When it comes to one of the brightest SCI Superstars we could profile, you can’t get any brighter than Lex Frieden. One of the architects of the ADA and an influential policy-maker, Lex has dedicated his life to helping people with disabilities live as independently as possible. A renowned college professor as well, read on to learn about one of the most important figures in American disability history.

Why He’s fearless?

When Lex was a freshmen at Oklahoma State University in 1967, he sustained a C4-5 spinal cord injury in a car accident. Back then, “living independently” hadn’t been coined yet, but Lex was already dreaming of a better world for himself and others with disabilities. He was a young man desperate for independence, and after meeting a doctor in rehab at (TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston) who shared the same idea, Dr. William A. Spencer, Lex decided to dedicate his life to the psychology of rehabilitation medicine.

Going “back” to school however wasn’t easy. Lex was at first denied admission at Oral Roberts University of Oklahoma because he used a wheelchair, and was then was accepted at the University of Tulsa. The school put all of his classes in one building so he could easily attend them, and Lex graduated with a degree in psychology in 3 years. He also went on to receive his Masters in Rehab Medicine from the University of Houston.

With his degrees and desire to see a change, Lex made his first appearance before Congress at age 25 as a member of a Congressional Task force on Science, Technology and Disability, speaking on what was not being done when it came to disability research being conducted by the US government. That very panel ended up becoming the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), a unit of the US Department of Education, in 1978.

Throughout the 1980s, Lex was the Executive Director of the National Council on Disability; a council the reported to the US president, and it was in this tenure where he helped write the first drafts of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He was also Chair of the NCID when President George W. Bush was in office from 2002 – 2008. Lex is without question a born and bred policy maker.

Changing young minds is just as important to Lex. He’s worked as a professor of physical medicine for decades. It’s no secret his heart lies at the University of Houston too; attending and then working here. Lex met his wife Joyce on this campus as well, who was a single mother when they met, who was also studying at the University of Houston. The two tied the knot in 1977. Joyce uses a powerchair too. She had a virus that paralyzed her from the waist down when she was a young woman.

What’s Next?

Lex currently works as the Professor of Biomedical Informatics and Rehabilitation at TIRR Memorial Hermann Hospital. He is also the Director of Independent Living Research Utilization and he is an adjunct Professor in Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine at the Baylor College of Medicine. He was the President of Rehabilitation International as well, which is a federation of 200 national and international organizations dedicated to providing adequate rehab medicine.

And Lex’s personal life has been rich. He has a blood-brother and best friend, Mac, who’s been his PCA since the 1970s. Mac is Vietnam vet who sustained a brain injury. They met in rehab and lives with them. Lex and his wife Joyce also are very close to Joyce’s grandson, Trey, who they helped raise. Trey was recently married and they’re very proud.

There’s no doubt Lex’s work has impacted millions of lives. He’s a visionary who’s refused to accept that status-quo, and even though he is getting older, he isn’t letting that stop him one bit. Thank you Lex for showing the world how one person can make such a huge the difference as long as they stay true to the fight.

— Visit his website