Blind Amputee Finds Hope in Pottery
San Antonio veteran makes the best out of a difficult situation
By Neha Aziz, 2:00PM, Fri. Apr. 4, 2014
At age 18, Bill Wedekind joined the Marines. Shortly after, he was wounded in Vietnam, lost his vision and both of his hands. Thanks to the Krukenberg procedure (an operation that turns arm stumps into pincers) and support from his grandmother, Wedekind made a career in pottery.
The way Wedekind saw it, he had two options – drugs or alcohol – but ultimately, he made a third choice: to make something of his life. He didn't want his disability to have a hold over him.
San Antonio filmmaker Kimberly Suta was inspired by Wedekind's story, and decided to turn it into a film: An Unlikely Potter.
“Bill is the bravest human I know," Suta said in a press release. "This is a guy who will get up on his own roof just to adjust the satellite, if need be. Sure, he may fall off his own roof and he did, but he perseveres. He’s a hero, and I am so thankful that I was chosen to tell his story.”
For those in the San Antonio, An Unlikely Potter will be featured on the ARTS program on KLRN tonight at 8:30pm. Suta plans on submitting the full-length film into festivals, so keep an eye out during the next season.
Take a sneak peek below.
Watch An Unlikely Potter in People & Blogs | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com
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Richard Whittaker, March 28, 2014
Sept. 24, 2021
PBS, KLRN, An Unlikely Potter, Bill Wedekind, Kimberly Suta
