“At age 2, I was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome. I always knew I was different than other people. I was ridiculed by my peers, made fun of and consistently beaten up at school because of my symptoms. Even my parents and teachers did not understand me, so I was falsely considered as a behavior problem. I was sent to a psychiatrist in the fourth grade but the experience didn’t help me and only added to my problems. I was finally diagnosed by my doctor and friend, Dr. Thomas Duggar, at age 24. He said, ‘Michael you were dealt the queen of spades, you have Tourette Syndrome.’ My life was going to have a lot of adversity in it. I couldn’t do well in school as others thought of me as a class dummy. I was left to educate myself, especially about my rights. I was inspired by reading the Declaration of Independence in the 5th grade. I also got into a Catholic high school and later was able to obtain a B.A. in Social Science and Philosophy, as well as a paralegal degree specializing in employment discrimination and a M.A. that helped me advocacy for the handicapped. These degrees would help me when I felt I was discriminated against by members of the Army because of my symptoms as well. Today I am a proud father of four grown children and have some 15 chronic conditions. I’ve been educating myself about disability rights and helping others, like myself. I was an advocate for the San Francisco and Sacramento chapters of the Tourette Association of America between 1975-1995. Throughout my life I have always had a deep faith in God which has given me the greatest love in everything he has created.” – Michael Storman