MY TRUTH: Are you a joy to anyone?

By Cheryl Smith

Fifteen years ago, at the age of 59, Teddy Pendergrass died on January 13.

While I recall his many songs, his stage presence, and his movements as he belted out his many hits; I remember him most for sharing his testimony, about surviving a car accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down, a tetraplegic.

To his credit, he not only continued to record, but he performed on stage at concerts and also at the famed Apollo Theatre. He starred in the gospel musical, Your Arms Too Short to Box with God, won an award for the song, Joy, and wrote his autobiography, Truly Blessed.

A minister, ordained when he was 10 years old, Mr. Pendergrass, who during the interview told me I could call him “Teddy,” made hit after hit, first with the group, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and later as a solo artist.

His laughter could be felt through the phone as I told him about going to see him in concert with my 60-year-old aunt and her daughters when I was 18. I was too young to know what all the fuss was about!

While we talked about his career, we also talked about his life-changing injury and his work for his charity, The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, which is now the Teddy and Joan Pendergrass Foundation. The foundation was created to encourage and assist those with spinal cord injuries.

He told me he hoped to come to Dallas to perform.

I think of Mr. Pendergrass not only on the anniversary of his death, his birthday, or when I hear his beautiful voice.

When I see people who’ve given up on life because of an accident or setback, I think of him and how he bounced back. He also battled colon cancer and continued to live a productive life, while also thinking of working for the betterment of others; which he did until succumbing to respiratory failure.

I also think of Candace Wicks because she was in a hospital bed and many had probably written her off, especially after an infection led to multiple amputations.

Today, years later, Candace remains one of the hardest-working, volunteers, philanthropists, social activists, and humanitarians you will ever meet.

Like Mr. Pendergrass, she accepted the changes and challenges in her life and, instead of wallowing in self-pity, continued to be a joy to others.

And yet we have others without any of the challenges and they do nothing to make this world a better place.