Scott McArthur.Courtesy of family
Scott McArthur: Advocate. Funny. Good-natured. Redhead. Born July 1, 1951, in Toronto; died Aug. 3, 2022, in Toronto, from choking; aged 71.
Scott McArthur was a cute child with flaming red curly hair and freckles but when he started missing infant and childhood milestones, his parents took him to multiple specialists. By age 4 he was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia.
Scott enjoyed his childhood, and his mother once said, “he was born bright and funny.” All the work to help him develop – the physio sessions, attempts to put him in braces to stand up and walk – felt like fun play and it was only gradually he became aware of the lifelong implications of a severe disability.
At age 8, Scott moved to Bloorview, a rehabilitation hospital for children in Toronto. Much later, Scott’s parents told him they wanted him to have all possible treatments and knew he would never become independent if he stayed home. At the time though, they did not prepare him or his siblings, Richard, Marnie and LouAnne, for the move to an institution. The family just went for a drive one day and came home without Scott. Scott felt abandoned by his family but never complained or mentioned the elephant in the room on his weekly visits. It would take another 40 years for the family to sort through that time.
Scott got on with his life. He could get around quite well by pushing his wheelchair backward with one foot and looking over the back of his chair. He only wore out one shoe from every pair he owned. When he realized that attending a regular high school was not feasible, he signed up for a computer program through the March of Dimes. His computer work (using a mouthstick) and his volunteering would carry him through life.
Scott loved his work as a program manager at the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy. He felt respected and treated as an equal. His co-workers spoke directly to him and not his attendant, which was important to him. Scott was known for the twinkle in his eyes – once you saw it, you knew you were about to be teased or the victim of his next joke.
Scott McArthur loved his work as a program manager at the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy.Courtesy of family
Working allowed Scott to buy two condos and arrange renovations to accommodate his needs. He managed his own attendants who came in daily to get him up, dress, shower and feed him, which meant he could live life on his own terms. A government program called the Centre for Independent Living Toronto (CILT) allowed him to hire, train or fire his own staff and this was life-changing for his happiness at home.
Scott gradually became an advocate to improve life for the disabled. One of his first missions was at Toronto City Hall where he fought to ensure sidewalk curbs were cut. He also began a list of accessible hotels. When service from Wheel-Trans, Toronto’s public transit for the disabled, became problematic, he became a member of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transit because he found it more effective to work for change on the inside of an organization.
In his 50s, Scott found dogs could help him be independent. He trained with a black lab named Gandolph and was proud to be able to live with the dog and walk him on a leash. They went everywhere together.
When Scott was 55 he was interviewed for a government report about growing up in institutions, and how, in spite of his severe disabilities, he worked in managerial positions. The report was found by his family after his death, giving them a window into his life. Among the many insights: Scott didn’t feel disabled because that was all he knew. It wasn’t until he broke his hand that he felt disabled.
Scott knew that choking was a serious complication of cerebral palsy, and in the end, he aspirated a piece of steak. He always said that if had to die from choking he wanted it to be on fine food so he could go out in style.
Marnie McArthur is Scott’s sister.
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