Jack Emmott

Mr. Jack Emmott III started by telling everyone that his story is also a Rotary story. This is because he is a polio survivor who is also a former Rotarian. Jack explained that when he got Polio, it was 1954 and he was only 6 years old. Jack explained that he grew up on a 100 acre Texas farm with 8 other siblings and was a typical boy who liked to do many things. However, when Jack came down with Polio, the Polio vaccine was not yet available and he remembers feeling really bad prior to finding out that he could no longer walk and that most of his body was paralyzed.  As a result, he had to live in an iron lung for over 5 years before being able to move to a wheel chair where he has been ever since.

 

Because Jack is a Christian, he came to understand that God did not give him Polio and that he needed to learn to live his life as best as he could and not be bitter about it. This realization allowed him to become more spirtual & thoughtful about what is important in life. This concept is what he calls a "treasure in the darkness". By being positive instead of negative, he married the love of his life which he calls "his angel" and has been married to her for over 40 years. He was also able to study and becime a practicing "Family Law" lawyer and is board certified in both Family Law and Civil Trial Law.

 

To better express his life's lessons, he has written two books: one is called "Prayerful Passages" which is about "Asking God's Help in Reconciliation, Seperation, and Divorce"; the 2nd book is called "Bending Angels" and is about the angels in his life.

 

Jack then told everyone about a donkey that was on his family farm when he was a child. They called the donkey "Old Donk" and Jack brought a photo (see below) of "Old Donk" with a number of kids on his back. Jack told the story of how his father always threw a piece of toast or bread out their back door and "Old Donk" would come by and eat it. Once "Old Donk" finished that piece of bread, he would walk to other houses on the farm and get piece of bread from them also. As a result of this practice by "Old Donk", his family joked that "Old Donk" was just getting his daily bread.

 

In conclusion, Jack asked everyone to pray for him and his family as well as success with his book efforts. The club agreed and many members purchased one or both of his books.

 

"Old Donk" Photo: