When someone hears that a child has a disability they may think of down syndrome or being physically disabled. But imagine having a disability that no one can see and others thinking you’re just plain difficult.

It’s the best sleight-of-hand trick you’ll see on a softball field, and Alanna Sanborn has it down cold.

The Berne Union senior outfielder camps under fly balls, catches them with her left hand, and in one fluid motion tucks her glove under her right arm and comes up throwing with her left. It’s a technique that Sanborn has mastered not because she’s a show-off, but because she’s had to.

Like most kids, Anthony Burruto started playing baseball in community Little League, ultimately joining the high school team.
Born with a birth defect, Burruto, 16, had to have both legs amputated below the knee shortly after he was born. He has played baseball since he was 8, thanks to prosthetic legs.

He received the e-mail only a few weeks ago, but already Christopher Caulfield has big plans for the missive.

He’s 6 feet 5 inches tall and nearly 300 pounds, but that’s not what makes Justin Hansen such an impressive recruit for the CSU Rams’ football team.

With very limited use of her arms and legs, Kelsey Rozema has needed her parents’ help with most daily tasks — getting out of bed, showering, putting on a coat and even opening a water bottle. In 18 years, they’ve been apart for only six nights.

Let it be known that there is nothing wrong with Ian Sullivan.
Sure, upon first meeting him you might notice a slight limp on his right side, but everything about him seems to scream “normal teenager.” He likes hanging out with friends, working out, playing video games and basketball. All the typical teenager stuff.

The new playground at Manchester Township’s Cousler Park looks exactly the way 10-year-old Noah McClymont envisioned it.

Places of worship need to truly value people with special needs, said Ginny Thornburgh, director of the interfaith initiative of the Washington-based American Association of People with Disabilities.

Georgie Sydnor likes having a computer program that will read to her the words on the screen and reply to her keystrokes. On the other hand, she’s not a fan of the way the female voice responds to her attempts to navigate a tricky task.