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June 15, 2008
Arc/PDDC Consumer Wins Nettie Mann Award

On June 10th, photo technician Geoffrey O’Flynn received the 2008 Mann award at a ceremony in Harrisburg—the third time in six years that an individual supported by PDDC has won this award.Sponsored by the Philadelphia Industries of the Blind and the Handicapped (PIBH), the award honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional character overcoming a disability. 

Geoffrey’s story is a tale of determination in the face of adversity. 

In the early 1990s, Geoffrey was working as a Philadelphia police officer when a domestic abuse call turned suddenly violent.  Geoffrey was shot in the face, a bullet knocking out his teeth.  Another bullet went into his spine, where it still remains.  Though he wanted to return to the job that he loved, his doctors ruled out a return to the force.   Any physical contact, even a minor car accident, could paralyze him for life.   Geoffrey had no choice but to retire.  

For several years, Geoffrey worked in the security service industry when he began having a series of “mini-strokes.”  His doctors discovered that the injury he had sustained was blocking his carotid arteries, a life-threatening condition.   He underwent surgery to correct his carotid, but there were problems on the operating table.  While being operated on, he experienced a massive stroke.  This stroke left him in a coma for two months.  When he came through, he couldn’t walk and could barely speak and was paralyzed on one side.

This began a painstaking recovery, where he had to learn even the most basic skills again.  At a time when he had to relearn how to brush his teeth, the idea of working again was the farthest thing from his mind.  As far as he and his wife knew, his working days were over.   At this point, he was fighting for basic survival—and fighting to recapture as much of his former life as he could. 

But Geoffrey persisted in the agonizing process of rebuilding his life.  Geoffrey admits that there was a period of deep depression.  The process was a slow one.  He attended rehabilitation regularly, and began to relearn the most basic skills.  As he progressed, he began to focus more and more on learning to drive.   He began to pursue this goal with passion, undergoing months of driving training at Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation.  Eventually, he passed his test with flying colors. 

Little did he know it at the time, but the milestone of passing his driving test would give him a new confidence that would offer a brand new perspective what he was possible.  Still, at the time neither he nor his wife expected that he would ever work again.

It wasn’t until his wife visited a Philadelphia photo license center that Geoffrey began thinking about working again.   In the photo license center, Geoffrey’s wife noticed that the photo technician had only one arm.   She asked some questions and learned that this man was supported by the Philadelphia Developmental Disabilities Corporation (PDDC), who staffed most of the photo license technicians in Philadelphia—all of whom had disabilities.  Calling PDDC, she learned there was an opening and, in October 2002, Geoffrey was hired.  It had been over ten years since he had held a job. 

In the years since he was hired, Geoffrey has become an integral part of the photo license center he work, casting off his physical disabilities to thrive in this new environment. In her nomination, his supervisor Karen Johnson noted his hard work and dedication-- even coming to work early when he knows there are coverage issues.

PIBH, which funds people with disabilities statewide find employment—including the photo license centers managed by PDDC— awards the Nettie Mann Achievement Award each year from a pool of over 1100 people statewide.  His ceremony in Harrisburg was attended several PDDC employees, including CEO J. Bruce Hulick and COO Laura Princiotta.