Bravery does not exist as a quality limited to one group of people. Anyone has the capacity to exhibit bravery. The universal nature of bravery allows for unique stories to occur and be shared. On the 11th of October of 2023, the documentary, Go On, Be Brave, was screened in the Duke Family Performance Hall. The documentary alongside the words shared by Andrea Peet, a Davidson alumn, demonstrate how bravery has so many looks and no limitations.
Go On, Be Brave follows Andrea Peet on her journey to become the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all fifty states. In the film, Andrea describes Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, ALS, as a fatal disease that affects the nerve cells in both the brain and the spinal cord. The film includes footage from all fifty marathons that Andrea participated in as well as footage that shows how she navigates her life with ALS. Andrea and the multiple people in her life are interviewed for their perspectives on her goals and the journey she takes to accomplish them. As described by herself and those in her life, Andrea is a determined person who has always seen the good in things. She did not let the long lists of negatives that come with ALS intimidate her and instead sought to make a mark in the world with the limited time her doctor said she had.
For the panel after the screening of the film, both Andrea and David Peet were there to answer any questions people had. They touched on what their intentions were in allowing Andrea’s journey in completing a marathon in all fifty states to be filmed and turned into a documentary. For them, the overarching goal in participating in the documentary was raising awareness for ALS. They intended to spread hope and inspire others to take any opportunity to be brave like Andrea did. Andrea, David, and others involved in the making of the film also intended on changing the perceptions that people have when it comes to the abilities those with physical disabilities have. David also touched on his role as Andrea’s caretaker and the meaning that holds for him as he has been given more time with Andrea. When Andrea said that letting ALS or any disability or disease for that matter define you “is up to you”, that stood out to me because of how her journey is an embodiment of the remark she shared.
I really liked the documentary and the multiple messages that it shared with the audience. Aside from not limiting oneself, Go On, Be Brave shared messages of hope and of the importance of human connection. While Andrea’s determination was her drive to completing all fifty marathons, her network of support from those around her was a major factor in helping her accomplish her goals. Go On, Be Brave points out that anyone can become disabled at any point in their life and that it’s better to make of it what you want and embrace it. The screening and the panel after it succeed in raising awareness towards ALS and the efforts being made to treat and prevent it. Another goal that I feel the film and panel accomplished was demonstrating what the body can do when one does not limit oneself. While Andrea can move her legs, they are no longer strong enough to support her when she walks or runs. To participate in the marathons, she used a recumbent trike. Her recumbent trike served as an extension of her body but was also a basic necessity as she needed it to move with more ease.
While not explicitly, the event for Go On, Be Brave also opened the conversation up about accessibility. Due to a rule of the Boston Marathon against the use of recumbent trikes, Andrea could not participate. This moment in the film highlights how the needs for those who are disabled are often overlooked by those who are able bodied. The rule that prevented Andrea from participating in the marathon was written by someone who did not take the needs of disabled people and their circumstances into consideration. Andrea’s experience at the Boston marathon made me reflect on what other ways accessibility can be overlooked and how the concept of “fairness” comes into play when accessibility is implemented. Abled bodies have always been considered the norm and fairness has been based on that. Because of this approach, a lot of events and places lack the ability to adapt and change when disabled bodies began to interact with the environment.