CCBDD hosts employment appreciation dinner

LISBON --Attendees at the Employment Appreciation Dinner hosted by the Columbiana County Board of Developmental Disabilities on March 16 were treated to an inspiring speech by guest speaker Michael Reiner. Reiner, a Web Producer for WKBN and Fox Youngstown was born with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

Reiner recounted how despite his early struggles with the disability, his family refused to let him feel sorry for himself. Instead, they encouraged him to do his best to achieve a normal life.

"I am a product of my support system," said Reiner when talking about his family, especially his parents Bill, and Paula Reiner. "They always had hope, so I always had hope."

A big break for Reiner came early in sixth grade at Wellsville, when his twin brother Mitchell suffered a fractured leg playing football. The orthopedic surgeon who treated Mitchell, had formerly been a colleague of Doctor Freeman Miller, who had completed a number of successful surgeries on patients with Michael's condition. At that time, Reiner was confined to a wheelchair.

"Dr. Miller operated on me 12 times in one day on April 9, 2010, at the Alfred duPont Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware. An analysis was done the week prior in Delaware with the expectation that the surgeries would be done in the fall. Someone had to reschedule, so I got in for the surgeries a week after the analysis," said Reiner. "Dr. Miller didn't take 'No' for an answer and I learned not to take 'No' for an answer. I still don't take 'No' for an answer," Reiner continued. "I also learned not to be afraid to ask for help."

As his condition significantly improved following the surgeries, Reiner was able to utilize his lifelong love of sports into becoming his future vocation. During his years in high school, he became "the voice of the Tigers," as he manned the microphone during Wellsville's home basketball games. He also wrote game stories for the Morning Journal.

Following his graduation from Wellsville in 2016, Reiner attended Kent State University, where he majored in journalism and was quite active in their media department. During those years, he worked for the CCBDD's Reach 4 More program as well as completing an internship at WKBN in Youngstown. That internship led to his accepting a full-time position after graduation.

"The staff at WKBN is dedicated to helping me," said Reiner. "They set me up with adaptive equipment that I am able to use with ease. Sometimes, they send a Production Assistant to allow me to do longer interviews in the field. But, the biggest thing the staff at WKBN does is; they encourage me. They don't treat me as being disabled. They treat me as being able."

"I have been able to turn an interest into a career," said Reiner. "I feel that I represent not only the disability community, but my family and the Wellsville community, each and every day. I enjoy my job and I work hard at it."

Reiner closed his speech by saying, "Work hard and play hard. Every day is a journey. It's important to see value in what you do, and especially to see value in yourself."

As the evening drew to a close, CCBDD superintendent Bill Devon announced that Reiner would be inducted into the Wellsville Athletic Hall of Fame on Sept. 9. Reiner was a four-time wheelchair participant in the state track meet.

The CCBDD's annual dinner, which was held at the Columbiana County Career Center in Lisbon, had been on a three-year hiatus due to the pandemic.