6 korr 2008

Bob Hartnet - An Inspiration for the Physically Challenged

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Bob was an inspiration to all at Cradle Beach

Updated: 07/06/08 7:59 AM


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Ezan Bagdasarian, who was born and raised in Buffalo, has fond memories of Cradle Beach.


As a 10-year-old, I felt uneasy at my first meeting with this precocious and astonishing youngster at Cradle Beach Camp in Angola. Robert E. Hartnett was one year older than me and, at age 11, he seemed to handle his physical disabilities extremely well.

Bob was born with no arms. He had only one leg, and that leg had no knee. Little did anyone know at the time that for the next 19 years, Bob would grow into a legend within the Western New York community and accomplish the success that has eluded so many others.

At Cradle Beach, Bob was assigned to a cabin with other physically challenged campers. I was in a “field” cabin with well kids from Buffalo and other areas of Western New York. Meeting Bob and gaining his friendship changed my whole perception of life. As the years went by, our friendship grew. Eventually, we both became staff members at Cradle Beach.

Our love for the camp and its philosophy of integrating well and physically challenged campers was shared by the camp directors and staff members. Bob was very adept at counseling homesick and handicapped campers. He had an overwhelming personality causing you to forget his physical disability within minutes of meeting him.

During his tenure, Bob was perhaps the best and most popular counselor Cradle Beach ever had. Returning campers would ask to be placed in his cabin. Bob had a customized wheelchair with a battery- operated motor that allowed him to control the chair with his leg. Campers would hang around him as if he was the Pied Piper!

Bob attended School 84 and Canisius College. In the late ’50s, he graduated with high honors from Canisius and was named to the national college academic “who’s Who.” He opened an accounting and tax office in South Buffalo. It became a successful business with many clients. Yet he always kept his summer months open to return to Cradle Beach as a staff member. He served as a genuine model of humanity not only for the physically disadvantaged campers but for the other campers and staff as well. Bob was an inspiration to so many. If he could make his way in life with his disabilities and excel, then why couldn’t anyone else? And he did so without self-pity.

Bob had one great advantage in his life. He had a very loving and caring family. Bob was accepted by his parents without any misgivings. They raised him with love and understanding and made certain that he attended Mass every Sunday at St. Teresa’s Church on Seneca Street. His deep faith sustained him throughout his life. He also had the loving support of his siblings, aunts and uncles.

As a counselor, Bob used to like taking his campers to Buffalo Beach and have them enjoy sliding down with him on what was known as the snake slide, which had twists and turns. After Bob’s passing, the camp had a similar slide placed at Cradle Beach and called it the “Bob Slide”. It was dedicated to Robert E. Hartnett and has been used and enjoyed by hundreds of campers ever since.

Bob had dreams of running for political office and had he not passed away, would have done so and won. Friendships such as Bob’s can never be forgotten and may come our way only once in a lifetime. For those of us who were fortunate enough to know Bob and enjoy his friendship, we were blessed with his inspiration and fortitude as an example of overcoming any adversity or challenge that life may present.