You may have never heard of her before, but Darcy Pohland, a C5-6 quadriplegic from a diving accident in the early ‘80s, and a woman who blew me away the first time I met her as a fragile newly-injured 16 year old, was one of the few wheelchair-using TV news reporters in the country. She worked at the CBS affiliate in Minneapolis (WCCO) for over 20 years, and was sadly found dead by her PCA last Thursday morning. She was 48 years old.
I first remember seeing Darcy on TV as a newbie quadriplegic and being completely impressed. How did she get hired? How does she do all the aspects of her job?? After college, I asked her for an interview. I had just gotten one of my first article assignments with New Mobility and wanted to do a 3-page story on her and her totally impressive job. We met for coffee, I got to ask her everything I ever wanted to about her awesomeness, and afterwards, we became friends; well, part mentorship, part friendship. And it was awesome. Every 6 months she’d take me out for lunch or dinner, we’d talk writing stuff, life with quadriplegia, I‘d bitch to her how men never treat me right (and she'd silently nod, always giving me a fresh perspective). Again, just great having another woman with SCI, locally, to befriend.
Darcy was determined to not let the fact that she couldn’t move over 75% of her body come into play. In the newsroom, she wanted it to be a non-issue. And it was. Darc had a camera guy like every street news reporter. She had a pimped out mini van that took her to every corner of the state. And she came up with clever ways to get around accessibility issues (like interviewing people outside of their homes if she couldn’t get inside). I last remember seeing her do a story on the latest Minneapolis snow emergency, and she was out on some crazy snow-filled street corner at least 5 feet high doing her thing.
I always thought street news reporting was a profession - like being a waitress - that I had to cross off my list as “quad friendly” jobs. But Darcy has proven that I you have the will and the iron-clad cajones, you can do it. Darcy was one of the strongest people I’ve ever met. And her spirit will survive - in me, in other people with SCI she influenced, and now, maybe you too.
In honor of Darcy: A Bob Dylan video.
- Disability
Jobs Offered by Feds at April Expo
- Students
with Disabilities Get Internships, Permanent Jobs
- Employees
with Disabilities Have Hidden Talent
