If our client William “Scott” Baggett doesn’t tell you his age, you’ll never guess it. His eyes shine with perseverance, vitality, and a deep joy for life and its miracles.
Scott has become a local legend for his life-changing work training therapy dogs and volunteering with kids. He woke up paralyzed at age 4, was diagnosed with polio, relearned to walk and move, overcame personal tragedies, entered into heartfelt community service—and then hit a new obstacle.
Living with Post Polio Syndrome (PPS), Scott had to retire from his multi-decade career and stop golfing and gardening. After Scott had logged over 6,000 volunteer hours visiting kids to provide life-changing canine therapy, PPS began to rob him of his strength and mobility.
Scott knew his medical challenges couldn’t be the end of his commitment to helping and healing others. That’s why he came to Help Hope Live to fundraise for critical mobility and medical needs, including an accessible van.
Each May, we share stories illuminating why Mobility Matters to clients like Scott. We asked our dynamic friend a few questions to add to what we’ve learned about him from a podcast appearance, public speaking opportunities, and news coverage.
How would you describe yourself in 4 characteristics?
Structured.
Never late.
Never met a stranger.
Love animals.
Which pieces of equipment are essential to your everyday mobility?
My power chair and an accessible van.
What do you wish more people understood about mobility for someone with a diagnosis like PPS?
For people like me, independence and mobility cost two or three times what they cost for someone without a disability.
If you had a limitless amount of money to spend, where would you go on your dream vacation?
Honestly, I would not take that vacation. I would use it to help children obtain what they need to have a normal and satisfying quality of life. I’d start a college fund for as many children as the money would allow.
Has a certain phrase or piece of advice shaped who you are today?
Never quit, and never give up. Failure only lasts as long as you allow it to last.
If you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?
Start reading, and become educated in the Bible ASAP.
What do you think most people don’t understand about the role dogs can play in hope and healing?
I could write about this for hours! I’ve trained therapy dogs for over 25 years.
Dogs are not just companions—they become your best buddy. It’s extreme loyalty. It’s proven that having a dog in your life can help you live 5 years longer or more.
Most people have no idea of how powerful the olfactory (nose) sense can be. Dogs can become somewhat of a caregiver: they can sense distress, diabetes with sugar levels too high or too low, cancer…They can go into a classroom for a child highly allergic to peanuts and clear a room by detecting any part of that room that has come into contact with peanuts.
They can protect. They can become a communicator between a lawyer and a child.
What is one thing that anyone reading this can do to help build up their “armor of perseverance” in life?
Never accept failure. As Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that don’t work.”
If I had $10 for every time someone told me I couldn’t do something, I’d be able to buy an accessible van outright.
Perseverance produces proven character. Proven character produces hope.
What does the word “hope” mean to you?
Hope to me is showing others that a disability does not define you. Heartbreak and tragedies do not define you.
The type of individual you become to others, a loving and caring individual, is what defines you.
Support Scott’s journey to greater mobility, freedom, and independence at helphopelive.org.
