New York, NY – On Thursday, November 30th, at City Hall, Diana Wright, a 5th Grade public school teacher, was awarded an
official proclamation in recognition of her inspiring message to young students. Wright was already beloved by her students in June 2015, when she was struck in a hit and run accident, and lost her left leg. Since then, she has fought her way back to walking again, and living a full life, with her husband and two daughters, even resuming her teaching career. New York City Council Member Jumaane D. Williams presented Wright with the proclamation, along with Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and other members of the council.
Williams said to the assembled crowd, which included her students, Wright’s niece, and husband, regarding misfortune, “You
don’t know what you are going to do until it happens… [Wright] now wears her new prosthetic leg not with shame, but with pride,” and is “a source of pride and inspiration to her students.” He called her a “true superhero,” for her work as a teacher, and perhaps, in reference to the fact that Wright’s mother named her Diana after the comic book character Wonder Woman. “She is an inspiration to young ladies, and there are not enough ladies in the City Council,” he added, saying he hoped they might be inspired to one day aspire to government.
Wright accepted her framed proclamation, beaming in front of a crowd of her students, and said, “I am so appreciative…I want to thank so many people…I’m here today because of their encouragement and support…I set goals and they support my vision, which I accomplish one step at a time.”
Wright’s message of hope and perseverance has spread to millions beyond those who know her personally, via a video directed by Shonda Rimes about her journey, sponsored by Dove Real Beauty. The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poIrZELfEME
