(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[There are over
''6 million car accidents''
''795,000 cases of stroke''
''7 million workplace injuries''
''3 million sports injuries''
and ''800,000 hospitalizations from bad falls''
reported in America every year.
And somehow,
''we never expect it to happen to us.''
---
(t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-time:2s)[[Play 'Beyond the Bill'->intro]]](align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[IMAGINE:
You've been in an accident.
You've lost all feeling in your legs.
Luckily, you have ''$3,250'' saved for emergencies like these
//(just over the median savings balance in America),//
and your medical insurance is covering the hospital bills and wheelchair cost
//(very nice of them--some insurance companies won't do this). //
''But will it be enough?''
(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Let's find out.->prompt1]]](set: $Balance to 3250)
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
First things first: you need a new place to live.
Your current apartment isn't wheelchair-accessible, so you need to find one that is.
(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Apartment close to work: $2,300/month->APTMTCLOSE]]
(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Apartment far from work: $1,500/month->APTMTFAR]]](align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(set:$Balance to 950)
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
The rent for most accessible homes is 10% more expensive than inaccessible ones, on average.
(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Continue->MOM1]]][(set:$Balance to (round: $Balance-1500))]
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[The rent for most accessible homes is 10% more expensive than inaccessible ones, on average. Being further from work means you'll need accessible transportation.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Let's tackle that next.->TRANSPO]]](append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
Your mom wants to move to your city to support you, but she can't afford rent in your city.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Help her: $400/month->HELPMOM]]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Tell her not to come.->NOMOM]]](align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
You need accessible transportation to get to school.
(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Buy a bus pass: $75/month->BUS]]
(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Buy a wheelchair-accessible van: $50,000->VAN]]][(set:$Balance to (round: $Balance-75))]
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Wheelchair-accessible vans, which give those who are paralyzed the ability, freedom, and independence of driving, run anywhere from $40,000 to $70,000. Riding the bus, while much more inexpensive, can be unreliable; your grades and schoolwork will be affected if you show up late.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''THE SARGENT STORY
Adam Sargent's lacrosse team raised money to buy him a wheelchair-accessible van in the months following his injury. Sargent used the van to commute to his college classes from his new accessible apartment.
"I had a Notre Dame community that were incredibly supportive," he said. "I had the athletic community that was incredible--my teammates, my friends--I had this enormous, enormous support."'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Continue->MOM1]]][(set:$Balance to (round: $Balance-50000))]
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(if:$Balance < 0)+
(append:?Sidebar)+
(text-colour:red)
[You are in debt.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Wheelchair-accessible vans, which give those who are paralyzed the ability, freedom, and independence of driving, run anywhere from $40,000 to $70,000.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''THE SARGENT STORY
Adam Sargent's lacrosse team raised money to buy him a wheelchair-accessible van in the months following his injury. Sargent used the van to commute to his college classes from his new accessible apartment.
"I had a Notre Dame community that were incredibly supportive," he said. "I had the athletic community that was incredible--my teammates, my friends--I had this enormous, enormous support."'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Continue->MOM1]]][(set:$Balance to (round: $Balance-400))]
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Having your mom's love and support nearby is a big help--but an undeniable expense for your family. ]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''THE SARGENT STORY
Adam Sargent's mom moved from Rochester, NY to Chicago, IL to be with her son while he recovered from his injury and learned to use a wheelchair. He was incredibly grateful to have her there--and knew that his family's ability to afford the move was an amazing privilege.
"My mom, who was a very religious person... She said a prayer early on," Sargent said. "When she realized I wasn't going to recover from the spinal cord injury in the way that would give me mobility, she said, 'If you won't give his legs back to him, at least let him have joy. Find joy.'"'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Continue->COLLEGEPROMPT]]](append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Moving is too expensive for your family right now. You have to face your injury, your healing, and your new life alone.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''THE SARGENT STORY
Adam Sargent's mom moved from Rochester, NY to Chicago, IL to be with her son while he recovered from his injury and learned to use a wheelchair. He was incredibly grateful to have her there--and knew that his family's ability to afford the move was an amazing privilege.
"My mom, who was a very religious person... She said a prayer early on," Sargent said. "When she realized I wasn't going to recover from the spinal cord injury in the way that would give me mobility, she said, 'If you won't give his legs back to him, at least let him have joy. Find joy.'"'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Continue->COLLEGEPROMPT]]](append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[College has been forever changed.
Half of the buildings don't have accessible entrances; the other half have their entrances hidden or far in the back of their buildings. Because of this, you're often late to class, if you make it class at all. Your grades are slipping as you try to heal.
You've lost your athletics scholarship, and can't be sure that the school will continue offering financial aid. ]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Keep going: $???->SARGENTSCHOOLINGKEEP]]
(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Drop out.->SARGENTSCHOOLINGDROP]]][(set:$Balance to (round: $Balance-$Balance))]
(append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''THE SARGENT STORY
Adam Sargent finished his degree at the University of Notre Dame, a double major in history and anthropology, and completed his Master's Degree at Indiana University South Bend--while working full time at Notre Dame.
"The cost of attending universities is absolutely insane relative to regular life," he said. "If you're going to these places without substantial financial aid or a family that can foot the bill, you're leaving your experience with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt."'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Continue->ENDSCREEN]]
](append:?Sidebar)[Balance:$Balance]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[''THE SARGENT STORY
Adam Sargent finished his degree at the University of Notre Dame, a double major in history and anthropology, and completed his Master's Degree at Indiana University South Bend--while working full time at Notre Dame.
"The cost of attending universities is absolutely insane relative to regular life," he said. "If you're going to these places without substantial financial aid or a family that can foot the bill, you're leaving your experience with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt."'']
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")+(t8n-time:2.5s)[[Continue->ENDSCREEN]]](align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[When it comes to healing from a traumatic injury, there are more costs involved than just hospital bills--costs that exist because our world is fundamentally not built with disabled people in mind.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:red)[<a href="https://dredf.org/support-our-work/">Donate</a>] to help someone living 'Beyond the Bill'.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[Thank you for playing.]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:red)[<a href="https://strongofheart.nd.edu/profiles/adam-sargent-2010/">Who is Adam Sargent?<a>]]