If it had not been for an accident in a coal mine in 1977, W. Ron Adams would probably not have become an attorney and he might not be living in Northern Kentucky now. He also would not be appearing on national television this weekend, to share his life story.

Ron Adams signs his book at Roebling Point Books & Coffee in Covington. (Photo by F. Anderson)

Adams will discuss his book Coal Mine to Courtroom: A Quadriplegic’s Memoir of Relentless Faith, Courage and Eternal Success, on Huckabee on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) on Saturday, July 23, and Sunday, July 24.

As a teenager in Western Kentucky, “Ronnie” Adams was one of the state’s top-ranked high school basketball players. Colleges offered him scholarships and he dreamed of playing in the NBA, until a coal mining accident left him paralyzed from the neck down.

Since he could no longer play basketball, Adams earned a business degree at Murray State University and a JD/MBA at Northern Kentucky University’s Chase College of Law. He now owns a law firm in Erlanger.

Adams was invited to appear on Huckabee, which is hosted by former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, in recognition of Disability Pride Month. July is also the 32 nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which President George H.W. Bush signed into law on July 26, 1990.

“As a quadriplegic, I was thrilled when the ADA became law,” Adams said. “The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination against disabled people, but it was vague.

The ADA has more teeth. It still took years for businesses and even some government buildings to become wheelchair accessible, but it helped pave the way for more employment opportunities for people with disabilities.”

In his book, Adams recalls the difficulties he had navigating certain courthouses in Kentucky, even after the ADA became law. He describes having to park in an alley behind the federal courthouse in Covington, because of a lack of handicapped parking spots on the street.

The Gallatin County Courthouse, which was built in 1838, had no elevator. At the same time, the Grant County courthouse had an old-fashioned elevator that was almost too small for Adams’ wheelchair to fit in.

“Things have gotten better, but we still have a long way to go,” Adams said. “One issue that the ADA does not address is how people in wheelchairs can escape from an upper floor of a burning building, when elevators cannot be used.”

Adams’ interview on Huckabee is scheduled to air on Saturday, July 23 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Eastern time, and will be repeated on Sunday at 9 p.m. Check local cable listings for TBN’s channel number.

Coal Mine to Courtroom: A Quadriplegic’s Memoir of Relentless Faith, Courage and Eternal Success by W. Ron Adams with Fred Anderson is available at select bookstores, Amazon, and through wronadamslaw.com.

See the NKyTribune’s Andy Furman’s story on Ron Adams here.

© 2016 Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism. All rights reserved.