Marty Ravellette

{{Infobox person

| name = Marty Ravellette

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = December 18, 1939

| birth_place = Goodland, Indiana, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|11|12|1939|12|18}}

| death_place = Eli Whitney, North Carolina, U.S.

| nationality = American

| alma mater =

| other_names = Martin Lawrence Ravellette

| known_for = Armless and heroism

| occupation =

}}

Marty Ravellette (December 18, 1939 – November 12, 2007) was born in Goodland, Indiana without arms. He attended Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network in Allentown, Pennsylvania as an infant. The family then moved to Oceanside, California, where he was stopped for speeding in February 1963. The notoriety that resulted introduced him to JoBeth Johnson, who soon became his wife, and they moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon. After initially belonging to various denominations of Christianity, Ravellette and several of the family converted to the Baháʼí Faith between 1967 and 1970.

Later divorced, Ravellette moved to Teaneck, New Jersey and then Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he rescued an elderly woman in a burning car and again won national recognition. His life is featured in a 2004 documentary, No Arms Needed: A Hero Among Us. Ravellette died in an auto accident in Eli Whitney, North Carolina three years later, in 2007.

Early life and education

Marty Ravellette was the fourth{{cite AV media

| people =Marty Ravellette; produced & directed by Bill Hayes, written by Kirk Streb

| title =No Arms Needed: A Hero Among Us

| medium =video documentary

| publisher =Figure 8 Films

| date =2003

| url =http://www.advancedmedical.tv/content/store/stnan.htm}} child of the farm family of Ernest D. Ravellette and Laurene Ravellette (née Frohreich).{{cite news|url=http://www.carrborocitizen.com/main/2007/11/14/obituary-marty-ravellette/|newspaper=The Carrboro Citizen|title=Obituary – Marty Ravellette|date=November 14, 2007 }}{{cite news| author=Michael Gagnon|url=http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A164387|newspaper=The Independent Weekly|title=Marty Ravellette, 1939-2007|date =November 14, 2007}} He was born without arms. Faced with the challenge of this disability, his family was convinced to place him at the age of two months in the Good Shepherd Home, known today as the Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The main practice at Good Shepherd was mainstreaming, and they trained Ravellette to use his legs and feet as arms and hands and to use an early prosthetic arm that he later stopped using. Ravellette was not the first armless person at the Good Shepherd Home – that was the musician Ray Meyers,{{cite web

| author=Ray R. Meyers | editor=John Robinson

| title =Ray R. Meyers - World's famous armless musician - His life story as told in words and pictures

| work =Sideshow World

| date =2011

| url =http://www.sideshowworld.com/13-TGOD/2007/tgod-RayMyers.html

| accessdate = March 31, 2015| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20110501072739/http://sideshowworld.com/13-TGOD/2007/tgod-RayMyers.html

| archivedate = May 1, 2011}} who was an inspiration to Ravellette. Ravellette favored his left foot similar to left handed people.{{cite web

| title =our heroes

| website =triangletravels.com

| date =2015

| url =http://triangletravels.com/heroes.html

| accessdate = April 2, 2015 }} Ravellete was known to entertain people with his use of feet and body to do tricks.{{cite news

| title =Church news; The women's missionary society…

| newspaper =The Evening Sun

| location =Hanover, Pennsylvania

| pages =7

| date =27 Nov 1951

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2117028/marty_ravellette_later_bahai/

| accessdate = April 1, 2015}}

While there, Ravellette attended Allentown public schools, starting with Jefferson Elementary School and then South Mountain Junior High.{{cite news

| author=Bob Wittman

| title =Bravery In Action When Ability And Courage Were Needed To Rescue A Woman Trapped In A Burning Car, Marty Ravellette Had Both.

| newspaper =The Morning Call

| location =Allentown, Pennsylvania

| date =November 15, 1998

| url =https://www.mcall.com/1998/11/15/bravery-in-action-when-ability-and-courage-were-needed-to-rescue-a-woman-trapped-in-a-burning-car-marty-ravellette-had-both/

| access-date = March 31, 2015}} At age 11, Ravellette suffered burns from a fire accident. At age 16, Ravellette rejoined his family partly because he was a discipline problem, but he had in fact been initially barred from attending the public high school by the contemporary public school principle equating physical handicaps with mental handicaps. Ravellette's mother sued the school and produced transcripts from his public school years while living at Good Shepherd in Allentown.

While attending an Allentown public high school, Ravellete's rebellious and confrontational attitude built him a reputation. He "didn't back down," as the 2003 documentary on him cited when fellow students picked on him. However, he said, "For the first time, I felt like I was a cripple.". He credited his rebelliousness with not being afraid of work, an attribute he said he developed from working on a farm, where his family did not have running water. At one point, Ravellette's job was to fill water troughs from a hand pump. Ravellette recalled that he was turned down for a date to the high school prom and was told "Marty, when I want to get married I want to marry a man, not half a one."{{cite AV media

| people =Marty Ravellette, reporter Bob Dotson

| title =Fork in the Road Films

| medium =television

| publisher =NBC Today Show

| date =

| url = http://forkintheroadfilms.com/Fork_in_the_Road_Films/Demo_Reel.html}}

After graduating circa 1957, Ravallette and his family moved to Oceanside, California and Ravellette ran away from home.{{cite news

| author=Meredith Young

| title =The Strength to Overcome

| newspaper =The Chronicle

| location =

| pages =

| language =

| publisher =

| date =October 29, 1998

| url =http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/1998/10/30/strength-overcome

| accessdate = April 2, 2015}} In San Diego, Ravellette began to work in a variety of jobs. While he was unemployed in 1962, he drove from Los Angeles to his home in San Diego, where he was pulled over in a line of cars for speeding.* {{cite news

| title =Driver 'Hands' officer license by foot-drives without arms

| newspaper =Independent Press-Telegram

| location =Long Beach, California

| page =9

| date =10 Feb 1963

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107732/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate = March 31, 2015 }}

{{cite news

| title =Driving manner odd

| newspaper =The Oregon Statesman

| location =Salem, Oregon

| page =8

| date =11 Feb 1963

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107698/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate = March 31, 2015}} After taking his driver's license, the officer noticed that Ravellette's foot had handed him the license. After Ravellette proved that he had a valid driver's license, the officer let Ravellette go with a citation. The incident was covered nationally by Associated Press and was read by JoBeth Johnson in Florida, who struck up a long-distance relationship with Ravellette that grew to a marriage after Ravellette moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1963.{{cite news

| title =Armless pair to get married

| newspaper =The Oregon Statesman

| location =Salem, Oregon

| page =19

| date =11 Jul 1963

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107708/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate = March 31, 2015 }}

{{cite news

| author= Ruth King

| title =Man without arms waits for bride

| newspaper =Herald and News

| location =Klamath Falls, Oregon

| page =1

| date =12 Jul 1963

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107711/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate = March 31, 2015}}

{{cite news

| title =Its only natural - without arms …

| newspaper =The Mason City Globe-Gazette

| location =Mason City, Iowa

| page =3

| date =12 Jul 1963

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107761/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }}

{{cite news

| title =Armless Oregon bridegroom cuts cake

| newspaper =The Oregon Statesman

| location =Salem, Oregon

| page =8

| date =14 Jul 1963

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107719/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate = March 31, 2015}} They lived there a number of years; he, a member of the Church of Christ and she a Baptist.{{cite news

| title =Faith provides answer for newly married pair

| newspaper =Herald and News

| location =Klamath Falls, Oregon

| page =6

| date =4 Aug 1963

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107564/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }} Together they had a daughter, Nancy (who was born with arms.) and a son who died as a child in a car accident.{{cite news

| title =Daughter born armless couple

| newspaper =Corsicana Daily Sun

| location =Corsicana, Texas

| page =5

| date =10 Feb 1965

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107750/later_bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }}

In 1967, after attending community college, Ravellette moved to San Diego, where he lived in a boarding house, and performed parlor tricks. There, he met Ray Estes, who pointed out he was being used for amusement by those who were not his friends. In the same period, Estes noticed he was much more agile with his feet and remarked, "If God has seen fit to put you on earth without arms, it's up to the rest of us to accept you - not you to accept us." which Ravellette took as a turning point in his life. Estes and Ravellette would be long time friends. Estes had joined the Baháʼí Faith in 1966{{cite AV media

| people =Ray Estes

| title =A Baháʼí Perspective; (first of series of episodes by Estes)

| medium =radio

| date =January 27, 2006

| url = http://www.bahaipodcast.com/archives.asp?pYrID=2006}} and Ravellette also converted to the religion in 1967. Soon his mother{{cite news

| title =Nine of the thirty-nine newly formed assemblies in the United States

| newspaper =Baháʼí News

| page =14

| date =July 1969

| url =http://bahai-news.info/viewer.erb?vol=07&page=366

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }} and wife{{cite news

| title =Baháʼí Directory changes

| newspaper =National Baháʼí Review

| page =7

| date =April 1970

| url =http://www.h-net.org/~bahai/diglib/Periodicals/NBR/028.pdf

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }} were visible serving in the religion and the Ravellettes had a second child May 21, 1970, after they moved to Eugene, Oregon. Marcus Husayn Ravellette - "Husayn" is a name recognized in Baháʼí circles as the birth-name of the founder, Baháʼu'lláh. However, on June 11, 1975, Marcus was killed in an automobile accident{{cite news

| title =Truck accident fatal to boy, 5

| newspaper =Eugene Register-Guard

| location =Eugene, Oregon

| page =B1

| date =Jun 11, 1975

| url =https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19750611&id=QrBEAAAAIBAJ&sjid=l9kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2441,2806098

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }} and buried as a Baháʼí. Marty and JoBeth divorced some time afterwards. Ravellete moved to Teaneck, New Jersey, where he became a grounds keeper at the Baháʼí property there. It was near there in Paramus, New Jersey that he met the woman who would be his next wife - Maree.

North Carolina incidents

In 1991, Ravellette moved to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where he won North Carolina's Disabled Citizen of the Year in 1994{{cite news

| title =Man born without arms is honored

| newspaper =The Index-Journal

| location =Greenwood, South Carolina

| page =2

| date =26 May 1994

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107596/bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate = March 31, 2015}} while running a landscaping business, Hands on Landscaping. He again gained national fame when he rescued an elderly lady from a burning vehicle.* {{cite news

| title =Man born without arms rescues elderly woman from burning van

| newspaper =The Paris News

| location =Paris, Texas

| page =3

| date =15 Oct 1998

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107602/bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }}

{{cite news

| author=Meredith Young

| title =The Strength to Overcome

| newspaper =The Chronicle

| location =

| pages =

| language =

| publisher =

| date =October 29, 1998

| url =http://www.dukechronicle.com/articles/1998/10/30/strength-overcome

| accessdate = April 2, 2015}} He appeared on several national television shows, including Discovery Channel, which won an Award of Merit by Carolina Silver Reels{{cite web

| title =And The Winners Are...

| website =www.mca-i.org

| date =2004

| url =http://www.mcai-rdc.org/SilverReels/2004/Winners.htm

| accessdate = March 31, 2015

| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20090208230021/http://www.mcai-rdc.org/SilverReels/2004/Winners.htm

| archivedate =February 8, 2009 }} and other shows though initially he had sought no publicity. Following this he had the opportunity to go back to Good Shepherd in Allentown, Pennsylvania for a reunion{{cite news

| title =Golfer honored for promoting awarenss of disabilities

|author=John E. Usalis

| newspaper =Standard-Speaker

| location =Hazleton, Pennsylvania

| page =15

| date =2 Jul 1999

| url =https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2107630/bahai_marty_ravellette/

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }} and began a period of reconnecting with his family while at the same time he met his future wife.{{cite AV media

| people =Marty Ravellette; Reporter: Scott Mason, Photographer: Robert Meikle

| title =No arms needed for Marty Ravellette

| medium =Television

| publisher =WRAL News

| location =Chapel Hill, North Carolina

| date = Sep 11, 2007

| url = http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/travel/video/1803727/?version=display_ad&iframe=1}} He also began to speak publicly, including as a frequent guest at a journalism class of Chuck Stone at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,{{cite web

| author=Jock Lauterer

| title =Marty Ravellette was a teacher too

| website =The Carrboro Commons

| date =November 15, 2007

| url =http://blogs.web.jomc.unc.edu/carrborocommons/?p=471

| accessdate = March 31, 2015

| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20130301151932/http://blogs.web.jomc.unc.edu/carrborocommons/?p=471

| archivedate = March 1, 2013}} and elsewhere, using stories of his life and physical challenges to underpin larger lessons on the benefits of diversity, justice, equality, and the unity of humankind. Inspired by his beliefs as a long-time member of the Baháʼí Faith, he often quoted one of his favorite lines from Baháʼí literature, "Noble have I created thee; why hast thou abased thyself" and observed that he was in a special position to serve humanity because of his differences, saying "Why was I born? Why was I born with no arms? Now serve mankind with no arms and not yourself!" he met Tony Melendez, a performer who similarly armless.{{cite AV media

| people =Marty Ravellette

| title =ViqNetWork presents Marty Ravellette: No arms needed!

| medium =Television

| publisher = Volunteer and Information Quinte

| location =

| date =August 23, 2011

| url =http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xl9lp5_marty-ravellette-promo_people }}

On November 12, 2007, Ravellette was in a car accident in southern Alamance County, North Carolina at Highway 87, where Eli Whitney, North Carolina is located. He failed to yield to an oncoming lumber truck and was ejected from the vehicle. He was not wearing a seatbelt because of his disability and died later that day at UNC Hospital{{cite news

| title =Chapel Hill Man Born Without Arms Dies in Car Accident

| newspaper =WRAL News

| location =Chapel Hill, North Carolina

| date =November 12, 2007

| url =http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/2033593/

| accessdate =March 31, 2015 }} just a few days after another Baháʼí was similarly killed in an accident at the same intersection.{{cite news

| title =Durham, N.C. — Lawrence C. "Larry" Akeley of Durham, died on Friday, Nov. 9, 2007

| newspaper =seacoastonline.com

| location =Portsmouth, New Hampshire

| date =2007

| url =http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20071112/PUBLICRECORDS04/711120306?cid=sitesearch

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924100601/http://www.seacoastonline.com/article/20071112/PUBLICRECORDS04/711120306?cid=sitesearch |archive-date= September 24, 2015

| accessdate = March 31, 2015}} He is buried at Maplewood Cemetery, Durham, North Carolina.

Awards and special appearances

In 1988, he won the Governor's Trophy for an outstanding handicapped person in Oregon.
In 1990, he appeared on the Sally Jessy Raphael show.
He won the North Carolina's Disabled Citizen of the Year in 1994.
In 1998, he appeared on The Today Show twice (October and another date) and The Rosie O'Donnell Show. and won the Robert P. Connelly Medal for Heroism from Kiwanis.{{cite web

| title =Robert P. Connelly Medal for Heroism Award Winners

| publisher = Kiwanis

| date =2015

| url =http://sites.kiwanis.org/Kiwanis/Libraries/Foundation/Robert_P_Connelly_Medal_Recipients.sflb.ashx

| accessdate = April 2, 2015}}

On June 26, 1999, he was named the 28th honoree on the Wall of Honor at the Good Shepherd Home in Allentown, Pennsylvania and led the Fête del la Musique parade in Carrboro, North Carolina.{{cite AV media

| people =Marty Ravellette; by Jackie Helvey

| title =Fête del la Musique

| medium =video

| publisher =vimeo.com

| location =Carrboro, North Carolina

| date =1999

| url = https://vimeo.com/102319448}}

In 2004, his life was featured in a documentary film, No Arms Needed: A Hero Among Us, produced and directed by Bill Hayes and written by Kirk Streb,{{cite web

| title =Synopsis

| website =Figure 8 Films

| date =2015

| url =http://www.figure8films.tv/site/shows/no_arms_needed.php

| accessdate = March 31, 2015

| archiveurl =https://web.archive.org/web/20150401191355/http://www.figure8films.tv/site/shows/no_arms_needed.php

| archivedate =April 1, 2015 }} and shown on the Discovery Channel on May 8, 2004 and elsewhere.