Kendall Harvey is a wife and mother of two in Austin, Texas. She has been navigating life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) since her diagnosis in 2013 at the age of 25. She worked in marketing before “retiring” to be a stay-at-home-mom. She is an optimistic warrior fighting for a better future free of FA. Until that day comes, she aspires to inspire others with her column by detailing personal life lessons about grit and grace. Kendall shares a message of hope despite disability.Yes, Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is hard. Yes, its widespread symptoms are always on my mind. When I am at social events, I am overwhelmingly aware of my disability and the lifestyle adaptations it…
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As my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) symptoms have progressed, my abilities have deteriorated, forcing me to adapt. My progression has been fairly steady and predictable, all things considered. Except for temporary circumstances like…
My son, Brooks, turns 11 this week. Birthdays tend to make me nostalgic, especially my children’s. As the day approaches, I reflect on the passing of time and the coming and going of…
Here in the United States, fall is back-to-school season — something I’m very aware of as the mom of two elementary-age children. This year, the logistics of this season have looked different for…
Last in a series. Read part one. After a traumatic whirlwind of a day, a sleepless night, and surgery to repair my broken hip, I woke up in the postoperative room. That’s always…
First in a series. On Sept. 6, 2025, my worst fear happened. It felt inevitable. I am 100% dependent on mobility aids due to poor balance and coordination with Friedreich’s ataxia…
When I was 25 years old, on Aug. 19, 2013, my life forever changed. Together with my parents and husband, I got the answer we’d long sought about why my balance was progressively,…
Mid-August is generally recognized as back-to-school time for those with school-age children or who work in education. Our television programs are flooded with commercials for the latest and greatest in children’s fashion trends and…
Sometimes life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) can feel smooth, all things considered. Now and then, the accommodations my disabilities demand or the adaptations my symptom progression requires don’t seem that intrusive. I feel…
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