View From a Wheelchair

I truly hope that you enjoy my series of photographs and stories. Only a few people know that I was a client of United Cerebral Palsy as a very young child. The impact of my family’s involvement with UCP had an incredible impact on my life. My parent’s finally learned what was wrong and was given help in learning how to handle the diagnosis as well as better care for my physical needs. I remember, 60 years later, the hours my parents spent on stretching and physical therapy exercises that they learned and put into practice. UCPA helped my parents to understand my needs and make me as independent as I became. I have an amazing life so far, thanks mostly to my parents, but with a nod to UCP. Please enjoy these stories and photographs, but if you find these mini-stories interesting, then please hit the button below and make a tax-deductible deduction so we can continue to have a positive impact on the lives of people living life with a disability! Mahalo!

1/24/25
We are once again proud to introduce a new series about living life with cerebral palsy. The series is called: “View From a Wheelchair” and will feature weekly posts of at least three images that were created by Stephen Dantzig (me) either from a seated position in his wheelchair or standing with assistance in front of the chair. We are choosing this personal perspective because cerebral palsy is very personal. Many of us require increasing amounts of support and/or assistive technology as we age. Many of you know that I now use a power wheelchair (“The Bumblebee”) to travel beyond short distances. Our hope is that this series will demonstrate again that change is inevitable for all of us and adapting and embracing those changes keep the doors open to a happy and productive life, no matter what challenges you/we face!

Look for more photos every Friday. Images may come from the same series of photographs over several weeks. Our first set is from my first visit to the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, known locally as “Punchbowl.” It was an awesome experience that I shared with my father and uncle in spirit.

Our View From a Wheelchair series continues with more from my Punchbowl experience. There is a set of memorials laid out along the hill up to the Punchbowl overlook. We did not look at each one because there were too many, but it was very emotional. I am so glad that I was finally able to see this remarkable place. The “Bumblebee” (my wheelchair is yellow and is named “The Bumblebee!”) made it possible.

In special memory of my dad and Uncle Terry: US Navy WWII.

My buddy Robert and I took a drive along the amazing East Coast of O’ahu. We made a short stop at Sherwoods Beach. The water was so beautiful and the combination of trees was stunning. I took the Bumblebee as far along the path as possible and then “chanced it” on the pine covered and—with predictably mixed results! But, we made it and captured some stunning images.

Let’s take a trip “Down Under” for this week’ edition of View From a Wheelchair! Yes, the “Bumblebee” made the trip to Sydney, Australia. You absolutely CAN travel with your power wheelchair. The batteries need to be removed and carried on the plane (unless, I believe, they are built into your chair) but some airlines allow you to stay in you chair right up to gate. If not, then they will supply a manual wheelchair and assistance to the gate. They will also provide an “aisle chair” to assist you to your seat if needed. Be sure to contact your airline prior to the trip so they know you are bringing your chair. Sydney was beautiful and we will revisit this trip several times in this series. I loved seeing the koala bears up close. A lifelong dream checked off—teaser…wait until you see the wallaby with a “joey” (keiki) in her pouch! 

Let’s stay “Down Under” for this week’s “View,” and explore some of Australia’s amazing animals. The Featherdale Animal Preserve was incredible. My favorite this week is the Wallaby with her Joey in her pouch! The Cassowary bird is very dangerous. It is fast and uses its bonehead to beat its prey and has extremely sharp talons. Yikes. Then of course is the larger cousin of the Wallaby, the kangaroo! It was a dream come true to see these animals up close and personal! We will visit “Oz” again at some point.

2/28/25

This week we return to O’ahu for a View From a Wheelchair but stay with some of nature’s wonders! I love how the egret seems to be posing for the camera! Truth be told, the butterfly and the bee images were a combination of patience (sitting with the camera in ‘shoot’ position for a LONG time!) and a bit of old fashioned luck! I do love all of these images.

3/7/25

I have gone through the great North Shore town of Hale’iwa many times during my 20 plus years in Hawai’i. I have done several photo shoots and eaten there dozens of times. I always admired the ancient Queen Liliʻuokalani church from the car. I was never truly able to explore this amazing town—until I had the “Bumblebee!”

3/14/25

This week we take our first “View” of the amazing street art that makes Kakaako, Honolulu such a fascinating place to visit. The murals are truly works of art and the “Bumblebee” made it possible to fully explore and enjoy the talent on display. We will take additional views of more murals in the future.

3/21/25

This week we take our second “View” of the amazing street art that makes Kakaako, Honolulu such a fascinating place to visit. The creativity on display always makes this a fun outing.

Let’s take our first “View” of the Honolulu Zoo! I had been there many years ago and rode my tricycle at the time, but these trips were with the Bumblebee. I love the regal look of the Cheetah and the playfulness of the elephant (“Get your own ball!”) I also think that the angle from the chair adds to the composition and drama of the image of the monkeys.

4/4/25

Let’s take another “view” of the Honolulu Zoo before traveling off O’ahu. We will return to the zoo at some point. I love the look on the baboon’s face! The Gila monster is so vibrant too. The peacock was wandering around the cafeteria area. I heard it was not the friendliest bird, so we just avoided it!

4/11/25

Today we take our first “View” of the amazing city of Singapore. Singapore is actually an island, a city and a country all in one. It was magnificent! It I one of the cleanest cities I have ever been to and the FOOD was incredible. I did not have the Bumblebee yet, but we borrowed a wheelchair for the main trips. We will venture back for more views soon.

4/18/25

Let’s stay in Singapore for a second “View!” Last week we got a taste of the Marina and some of the flowers around. The government makes a point of adding plants, foliage and gardens all around to keep the city from becoming a “concrete jungle.” The Botanical Gardens is certainly worth a visit, but the Gardens by the Bay is incredible. It is a large park across from the Marina with three main attractions: The Cloud Forest, The Flower Dome, and the “Supertrees.” The Cloud Forest  was interesting, but it is hard to beat the natural waterfalls in Hawai’i! However, the Flower Dome and Supertrees were awe-inspiring. Get there early enough to fully explore the dome, but stay beyond dark for a Supertrees light how that defies description. Singapore is well within the top five places I have visited and one of the few that I would return to see again. The food alone was worth the trip!

4/25/25

Let’s go back “Down Under” for another “VIEW” of Sydney Australia. Here we have a view of Sydney from the Opera House, Darling Harbor, and the beautiful Blue Mountains. Incredible trip made possible by the Bumblebee!

5/9/25

We return this week for another “View” of our incredible trip to Australia. Here is another view of the Sydney Harbor Bridge along with the beautiful colors of Bondi Beach and a dramatic image of the South Beach area on a rainy day. The Bumblebee handled the rain well. I am almost happy that it rained for one of the days because it provided a very different view of the unique beauty of Australia.

5/16/25

Let’s stay “Down Under” for another view of beautiful Australia. I mentioned last week that it rained on one of our tour dates, but the rain and clouds added a mysterious beauty to everything. The truth is that the photo of the tree and the bridge were taken while seated in a car, so technically they aren’t “views from a wheelchair, but I was sitting in a stable location! I love the images, so I decided to include them here.

5/23/25

We return to Kakaako for another “View” of the incredible art, but this time we take a closer look of how it is accomplished. The talented work behind these pieces of art is beyond words! Mahalo for sharing your unique visions!

5/30/25

The truth is that I have been using the wheelchair almost exclusively for transportation outside of my condo for about two to three years. However, I have been a photographer for 50 years, so I would like to expand these “Views” to include images that I created either from the adult tricycle I rode for 40 years (I tried a bicycle as a kid—starting to ride wasn’t the problem, but, well you know!) OR seated on my walker. Essentially, we are going to include any adaptive mobility device that allowed me to explore and photograph my world. We begin with three images in and around Waikiki!

6/6/25

 “The” image is often a wider view of a scene, but sometimes the details tell more of the story. Here are three closer “views” in, and off the coast of Waikiki.

6/13/25

Honolulu is often thought of as a “concrete jungle.” To be honest, it is pretty dense for a “small” city. However, if you look past the almost nonstop development…you see nature in all of its beauty. Sometimes we just need to slow down and look past the buildings. These are some of my favorite images from inside the “jungle.” Enjoy.

6/20/25

Today we offer three “Views” of the iconic Diamondhead volcanic crater, known as “Leahi” by Hawai’ians. The first is as a backdrop to a pond and bandstand at Kapi’olani Park, the second from the Punchbowl National Cemetery and the third from the middle of Kapi’olani Park. Leahi is always breathtaking, no matter what the view!

6/27/25

Three of my favorite “Views” of my home city: New York City—all taken from a very cold seat on a circle Manhattan boat cruise. I edited the image of the Liberty Tower in my way of representing the rebirth of everything and everyone impacted by that horrible day. Resilience in hard times is the key. Never give up!

7/4/25

Happy Fourth of July from the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawai’i. Please enjoy these “Views” from a chair overlooking “Magic Island” in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai’i several (many) years ago.

7/11/25

Let’s go on another adventure for this week’s “View.” This time we visit Fiji! I decided about 15 years ago that I wanted to see Fiji. The farm image was captured from the back seat of a moving taxi and the catamaran photo was taken while kneeling on the sand. I was a commercial photographer a lifetime ago and the third shot was an impromptu photo shoot on a boat returning from an island-hopping tour. I used the hull of the boat for support while grabbing this image. [Alt text: photos of a farm in Fiji, a catamaran on a beach, and a young lady on the bow of a boat.]

7/18/25

This week we take a special “View” of one of my favorite places in the world. Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens is nestled right up against the incredible Ko’olau Mountain Range. It probably is not on many tourist tours, but it is so incredibly peaceful and beautiful. It was almost 20 years before my friend Robert showed me hidden LAKE in the park! Yes, there are lakes in Central O’ahu and this one is stunning! The first image was created many years ago—from the driver’s seat in my car (I pulled over first!). You can see how the next two were created. It was a tough journey with the walker and one I probably could not make now, so these images are special. Please enjoy. [Alt text: Images of the Ko’olau Mountains and three of the lake in Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens, one post-processed to look infrared. One image of me sitting on a bench with my camera up to my face.]

7/25/25

This week we take a special “View” of O’ahu from the air! I was working with drone photography a couple of years ago and got to appreciate the incredible beauty of this island from a whole new perspective. I used my walker as my seat for these images. I hope you enjoy the “View” and get inspired to see life from a new “angle!” [Alt text: 3 photos of O’ahu from a drone including a close view of the Ko’olau Mountain Range, the East Coast of O’ahu from Sandy Beach, and a “hidden” lake in Kualoa Park.]

8/1/25

Today we take another “View” of the incredible animals at the Honolulu Zoo. It is always a fun day to venture around in the Bumblebee with my good friend Robert. The animals are always fascinating! [Alt text: Photos of pink flamingos, a huge lizard, and a zebra].

8/8/25

View From a Wheelchair series: Let’s take The Bumblebee for another “View” “Down Under!” Sydney was such an amazing experience in so many ways. Today we present three very different views. You saw a koala bear in an earlier post. Here is another one just sitting. Apparently, they are very good at that—and eating eucalyptus leaves! I always wanted to see a koala (well, not really “bear,” but a marsupial, like a kangaroo) and it was as amazing as I hoped! Next, we have a Chinese Garden in the middle of the city. The railroad was literally a few hundred feet away. Finally, we see the cliffs around the corner from the famous Bondi Beach. The Bumblebee was NO problem for the airline. Just make sure your batteries are airline approved if you are taking a power wheelchair. [Alt text: Photos of a koala bear in a tree, a Chinese garden, and cliffs by Bondi Beach.]

8/15/25

I mentioned in a recent post that I was a commercial photographer in a different lifetime. I would like to share part of that life here from time to time. All of the images were created with me either in a chair or leaning on a sturdy support (back in the day!) The first image is by far the most important photograph I have ever captured. I had the incredible honor of creating the portrait of my parents for their 50th wedding anniversary. I am here writing this for one reason only: my parents. Sadly, dad is gone TWENTY YEARS and mom passed 8 years ago. I miss them both every day.  OK, moving on! I played with a 4X5 view camera for a while (with help from my good friend Harry Lang—those things are BEASTS!) We created this image for a local store in Studio City, California. Last is probably the wackiest photo concept as well as probably the most fun I ever had on a photoshoot (and I enjoyed all of my shoots)! Two make-up artists came up with the concept and the three girls were all friends and just completely went with the concept! I could not press the shutter on the camera fast enough! Samantha (pear) said: “So serious….with fruits!” I will share more of the fun next week! [Alt text: Portrait of my parents, photograph of boots and a hat, image of three girls made up and dressed to match the color of the fruits they were holding.]

8/22/25

Last week, I introduced what was perhaps the wackiest photo shoot I was ever a part of! Three young ladies, all friends, just took this crazy concept and ran with it! Serena (orange) came up with the concept of dressing and being made up to match the colors of…FRUIT! Our make-up artists Toni and Tiffany did an awesome job with the idea, and my buddy Marshall lit the set beautifully! I had the easiest job of the night: I had to sit in my chair and push the shutter button on the camera fast enough to capture the antics of Samantha (pear), Cassie Ann (apple) and Serena while they just played! OK, I DID have to keep myself from falling off the chair while laughing! There are more images than usual today because I could not pick only three images from what was one of the most fun shoots in almost 50 years! [Alt text: Six images of three young ladies modeling (and playing) with FRUIT!]

8/29/25

View From a Wheelchair: Let’s return for more “views” of nature’s wonders! I believe that these beautiful flowers were all photographed at Foster Botanical Gardens in Honolulu. All were taken from the Bumblebee! [Alt text: image of a yellow hibiscus, a bee on a Bird of Paradise, and a cobra plant.]

 9/5/25

I love to photograph trees. I love how they bend over time and reach for the light. I also love how they can be used to frame the rest of the photograph. Here we have three “Views” of these wonders of nature. [Alt text: Three photos of trees: one framing Chinaman’s Hat, one huge tree in Fosters Botanical Gardens and one from my travels around town—I think it was Fort DeRussy, but I am not sure.]

9/12/25

View From a Wheelchair: Today we take a closer “View” of the layers of lava that formed the incredibly beautiful coastline of East O’ahu. You can tell the ocean floor drops quickly from the deep dark blue water. The contrast between the rocks, ocean and spray from the waves is stunning. All images were captured sitting or leaning on a wall at one of the lookouts along the road. [Alt text: three images of layered lava rock and ocean spray along the East Coast of O’ahu.]

9/19/25

TOMORROW IS DUCKIE DAY in Waikiki! The festivities begin at McCully Shopping Center along the Hawai’i Convention Center (Kalakaua Bridge). The first place Duckie wins a the adoptive parent a trip to Japan, but EVERY Duckie wins because each duck adopted raises funds for our early intervention programs and other supports for people with disabilities. You can adopt Duckies at https://ucpahawaii.org/ up until the 1:30 race time. These “views” of previous races were created while sitting on the adult tricycle that I used to ride! [Alt text: Five images of rubber duckies being poured and floating in the Ala Wai Canal in Waikiki.]

9/26/25 

Let’s take a few more “Views” of a very special day! The 2025 UCPA Hawai’i Great Hawaiian Rubber Duckie Race was an incredible day! There was so much Aloha spread all day.  It was also very successful: many mahalos for making it possibly a record-breaking fundraiser for our keiki! See you next year! [Alt text: Images of rubber duckies floating in the Ala Wai Canal in Waikiki with a crowd watching; duckie event volunteers and the band that played at the event.]

10/3/25

View From a Wheelchair: The Philippines might not be the first to come to mind when you think of a vacation paradise, but we are going to spend a few weeks changing your mind! I have been to the Philippines 7 times and parts of the country are beautiful beyond words (and I live in Hawai’i!). We start with some “Views” of El Nido, Palawan, perhaps one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. The culture and people are just as beautiful. All images captured from a seated position. INGAT (“take care!”) [Alt text: Images of “Bangka Boats” and an image taken from a bangka boat in El Nido, Palawan, Philippines.]

10/24/25

Let’s return to Hawai’i and my former life as a commercial photographer. This Week Magazine was one of THE tourist magazines in Waikiki when I arrived for my first visit to Hawai’i in 2000. Every week featured a new image of a beautiful “local” lady. Photographing a cover of this extremely well-known magazine was a dream to me as an aspiring photographer. Here are “Views” of three of the eight covers I created for the magazine over the years! All were created with me kneeling in the sand on a beach on O’ahu and Kauai. Models: Nikki, Kat and Monica. [Alt Text: 3 photographs of This Week Magazine covers.]

10/31/25

Today we have a “View From a New Wheelchair!” The Bumblebee took her last flight. We introduce the “Black Widow” with a return trip to the Honolulu Zoo. It is aways good fun to watch the animals! The black monkey was very active and I had to be patient (and lucky) to get this image, but it is one of my favorite zoo shots! I watched the giraffe in awe, wondering: “Now how is he going to get back up!” Mahalo to my friend Robert for meeting me and for the Black Widow photograph! [Alt text: Photos of me in my new chair, a black monkey, a giraffe bending down, an elephant close-up and a lemur.]

11/7/25

View From a Wheelchair: The North Shore of O’ahu has its own unique and incredible beauty. Today we take three “Views” of the North Shore from the Turtle Bay Resort. [Alt text: three photographs of the North Shore of O’ahu, Hawai’i]

11/14/25

View From a Wheelchair—or boat in this case! Let’s take a seat on a boat for some “Views” of Waikiki and Magic Island from off-shore! [Alt text: 3 images of Waikiki from a seated position in a boat.]

11/21/25

View from a Wheelchair: Today return to Singapore for 3 more ”Views” of the incredible floral displays at the Singapore Botanical Gardens and the Gardens by the Bay. Beautiful! [Alt text: three photographs of red and then purple flowers.]