“I can’t believe we found this,” I said to my friend Jennifer, holding the manila folder against my…
Matt Lafleur
Matthew's life doesn’t look like what he imagined when he was an active Cajun boy. Once diagnosed at age 11 with Friedreich’s ataxia, he threw himself into books, writing, and studies, achieving a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in mental health counseling. Writing a column at Friedreich’s Ataxia News and serving as the associate director of columns for its parent company BioNews is a perfect combination of his two degrees. He notes life’s small, often overlooked successes in his column. In progressive disability, Matt tries to notice his little victories, hoping that others notice their own ... or something like that.
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Articles by Matt Lafleur
Editor’s note: Please be advised that the topic of suicide is addressed in this column. Resources for help are listed…
My eyes shot open in the middle of a pleasant dream. The scene was familiar: There was a…
On the long drive home from rideATAXIA Dallas, I asked the driver, my buddy Ryan, for…
They couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t try, and my absolute refusal surprised me, too. Downtown Los…
I first encountered a service dog accompanying a person with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) three years ago.
My unharnessed wheelchair swerved unexpectedly. I reached out to grab onto something so that I wouldn’t…
Death, My Constant Companion
Sitting at my computer in my room, I barely noticed that everything had gotten dimmer. It wasn’t until…
I look forward to lazy Sundays. Nothing feels more familiar, more like my…
I’ve been down this road before and it doesn’t end up anywhere good.