Steve Foelsch navigates his loft apartment just a few blocks from Busch Stadium like a pro. Thanks to some new smart tech, he is now able to control so much more about his life and his home.
Since he was 20 and injured his spinal cord in a motorcycle accident, Steve has learned to thrive with quadriplegia. Now 59, he has an impressive list of achievements and a longer list of true friends.
Steve loved his years at Mizzou earning the degrees that prepared him to work with Starkloff Disability Institute (SDI). SDI is laser focused on working with employers and individuals with disabilities to empower competitive employment. Steve is currently SDI’s Public Policy Advisor, but he is most proud of the five classes he created and taught for 14 years for Maryville University’s Disability Studies program.
His number one fan and support is his sister Donna. They have many treasured memories of their travels together and all the obstacles they have overcome. “I am lucky to have the family that I have,” said Steve, “but I hate to bother them all the time.”
Thanks to new smart features in his apartment, Steve’s voice now controls his thermostat, his ceiling fans, his television, phone, and media, and the ability to open and lock his apartment door.
“The ability to control my environment is a game changer,” explained Steve. In 2023, burns from a space heater too close during the night led to the amputation of his lower left arm. “Now I don’t worry about getting too warm or spasms during the night because I’m cold and can’t turn my fan off.”
“This smart technology provides me safety and boosts my productivity, allowing me to live and work independently– and avoid incarceration in a nursing home.”
Steve’s story inspired DRA to seek grant funds from Jefferson Foundation to install smart features to empower independence for 10 individuals in Jefferson County. To learn more about this opportunity, please contact DRA and ask for Brent Darnell, our Housing Specialist.