Bonnie Consolo

Bonnie Consolo (October 12, 1938 - December 27, 2005), nee Bonnie Jean Pflug, was a Saddath, Kentucky native, and motivational speaker who was born without hands or arms. Consolo was the third of five children born to Wendell & Ruby (Sorrell) Pflug, and the only one with born with a disability in the family.

Consolo was raised on her parents farm in rural Kentucky, and graduated from high school in Frenchburg, Kentucky. Consolo tried artificial arms, however she found them uncomfortable and never acclimated to them. She married Frank Consolo in 1966 near Hayward, California.

Consolo's life captured the attention of the American media in the 1970s when the independent Documentary film "A Day in the Life of Bonnie Consolo" was released in 1975. At the time, Consolo was a housewife living in Columbus, Ohio with her husband Frank and their two young sons, Mark and Matthew. The film received an Academy Award nomination February 12, 1976 for Best Documentary.

The release of the film lead Mike Wallace of CBS' 60 Minutes news program to interview Consolo for the program. During the interview Consolo was shown tending for her children and driving (her automobile was not modified for her disability) while doing errands, and shown preparing food and cooking the family meal while seated on a stool, using her feet to wash and peel vegitables. Because of ideas about what those with disabilities were thought unable to do, the scene of Consolo cooking was considered a revelation to the viewing public. When queried by Wallace about what she thought viewers would think of a woman handling food with her feet, Consolo quickly countered that she washed her feet more frequently than most people washed their own hands. The episode concluded with film of Consolo driving Wallace to Port Columbus Airport in her Cadillac.

Following its initial airing, the segment became of the programs most popular interviews, and went onto become one of the shows most heavily requested repeat segments. Wallace would later say that Consolo was one of his most unforgettable people during his time on 60 Minutes.

Consolo undertook public speaking appearances talking about her experiences in life, and speaking on the rights of those with physical limitations.

Consolo later divorced her husband and returned to her native Kentucky where she completed college. In 1993 she self-published her autobiography, "Bonnie, an Autobiography". In 1986 she married Ronald M. Duncan in Montgomery County, Kentucky.

Bonnie J. Consolo died in Lexington, Kentucky on October 12, 2005. Her ashes were scattered at an undisclosed location.

ources

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072847/| A Day in the Life of Bonnie Consolo]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RYUA4dwXqU | Video of Bonnie Consolo typing]
* "Mother without arms" Independent Press-Telegram, Long Beach, California, December 5, 1971, Page A2.
* "She Makes Her Life in Foot Oriented World", Fresno Bee Republican, Fresno, California, July 14, 1968.
* "She changes diapers with her feet", Oakland Tribune, December 4, 1971, page 4A.
* Social Security Death Index, Bonnie J. Consolo.
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Consolo&GRid=12849235&| Bonnie J. Consolo, Find-A-Grave]