Ed Roberts, Activist

Very few people have ever seen this picture but I felt the time was right to share it. It shows my mother and father (Catherine and Ed Roberts) with me as a very young kid. It was taken in 1978 at the house I was born. The location was near Sutterville Road in Sacramento, CA. I was a home birth and apparently my mother was in labor with me for over 48 hours. At the time, my father's doctor had actually been prescribing him medication that was supposed to make him unable to have children, so he always told me I was a miracle child. My mother also told me that during labor she had been listening, over and over to her favorite John Lennon album, and that I first came into the world during the song "Imagine". Being that it was at our own house, among family and friends, I thought it was a powerful picture of Independent Living – and I hope everyone agrees.

This picture was taken in 1943 of my father (left) and his brother Ron. They are in front of their home in Burlingame, CA. It is an interesting picture of my father that has been rarely seen.

This picture was taken June 11, 1943. It shows my father (left), his mother Zona Roberts (middle) and his younger brother Ron Roberts (right). It is a rare photo taken in front of their house in Burlingame, CA.

This picture is of Ed Roberts' Father, Verne (middle). He his holding two people who became great figures in the world. My father, Ed Roberts (left), and my 2nd uncle, Ken McManigal (right). While my father was an incredible and important figure until his death in 1995, Ken McManigal has become that same figure in many different ways – which is why I wanted to share this picture with all.

Ed with his mother Zona Roberts taken in 1942. Fitting that it's a baseball in his hand as he (according to many) was a very good baseball player. In fact, in an interview with Ken McManigal recently posted to this website he was apparently always captain of the local baseball crew.

Just another dad up close face. I believe this is taken in the early 80s. He looks to be giving the look of happiness - or there might have been a Zig Zag bar over in the distance.

The wedding of my uncle, Mark Roberts (top left). This is also the first time in my life seeing my Uncle Randy Roberts, the youngest of the 4 brothers who's to Ed's right (oldest to youngest – Ed, Ron, Mark, Randy). I never met him, as he was killed in San Francisco while trying to recover a purse from a robber who had stole it from a lady. The robber had a gun and shot and killed Randy.

My uncle Mark Roberts, with his wife Elizabeth, with Ed in 1983. For my childhood, I used to go up to a CAL Berkeley Alumni Camp in the Sierra Nevada's called "The Lair of The Golden Bear." That is where I spent a lot of time with Elizabeth – a great person and great mother.

On this site I believe there is a picture of me at around 10-12 years old like Ed, here in 1950. It's really interesting how much we looked alike at the same age. Guess that's why he's my father, right?

Ed entered UC Berkeley in 1962. As most of you know the story, they had to put him in the hospital on campus, as that was the only place that would support his 1000lb Iron Lung machine he slept in. That book reading implement he's using is very similar to the one he used to change the channel to sports with me when I would come visit for all the school breaks!

Never before publicly shared picture of my father and Catherine Dugan Roberts at their wedding in 1976. The wedding was held in the backyard of their house, which is located off of Sutterville Road in Sacramento, CA. Also pictured is Tremor, the family dog. Apparently as a kid I climbed on him, pulled his ears and generally was such a terror my father once said of the 125lb German Shepard, "I'm amazed he didn't eat you kiddo."

Another never before publicly seen picture of Ed Roberts and Catherine Dugan Roberts wedding. My father was never one to turn away a good piece of cake as all of his friends most certainly know. Leaning in on the right is one of his friends that lived down the street, Jim Donald. Like all of you seeing this for the first time, I hadn't seen this picture either.

Mark Roberts (left), Ed Roberts (middle), and Ron Roberts (right).

Ed, Catherine, Lee, Randy, and Victoria Stoppiello at Short Sands, a famous Oregon coast spot that was accidentally wheel-chair accessible in the 1970s. The half mile trail through ancient forest of cedars, spruce and hemlock was totally paved then, making it a place Ed could go before even-better wheelchairs were developed. Photo courtesy Victoria Stoppiello.

Ed and Catherine. Photo courtesy Victoria Stoppiello.

Ed Roberts smiling. Photo courtesy Victoria Stoppiello.

Ed Roberts. Photo courtesy Victoria Stoppiello.