Ralph William Braun also recognized as the “Father of the Mobility

Science” was born on December 18, 1940. Born and raised in Winamac,
Indiana, Ralph Braun was always true-blue towards his commitment to
work and improve. When doctors announced about his disability, his
parents were devastated to hear the news but they never felt their son
as an incapacitated person. Their continuous support and encouragement
led Braun to initiate his inventions further.

After some years, Ralph Braun became unable to walk and at the age of
14, he started using a wheelchair. A young boy who termed his
disability as God-given ability used his creative mastermind to create
a motorized wagon along with his father with a motive of easy usage
and mobility. His curious and creative nature didn’t accept the ending
Full Stop which resulted in more modifications and inventions. As a
result, 5 years later, he created a motorized scooter by gathering
different equipment from his cousin’s farm and named it a Tri-wheeler.
He used this Tri-wheeler when he used to work in a nearby factory as a
Quality Control Inspector. The creation of Tri-wheeler aided in the
foundation of a manufacturing industry Save-A-Step which was later
named Braun Corporation in 1972.

Ralph W. Braun was always against making any excuses for himself. He
believed one has to always move forward in the ways of challenges and
crossroads. When he started the Save-A-Step industry in 1963 to supply
motorized scooters, he wanted to build more accessible vehicles that
could help people with disabilities to go anywhere. When his factory
where he used to work before, moved miles from his home, he accoutred
an old postal Jeep with hand controls and a hydraulic lift for safe
and secure transportation to the workplace that could work in any
weather conditions.
“So what’s the secret to your success?” This question was asked
frequently to Ralph W. Braun and he always replied, “I always surround
myself with good people.” His reply was the reason behind a
significant legacy in the mobility industry. When Ralph Braun made
Lift-A-Way in 1970 which was created by retrofitting a Dodge van with
a lift, the word about his invention was spread across different
corners. His initiation with the team was responsible for the
possibility of revolution of consumer mobility that public
transportation was outfitted with wheelchair lifts making facile for
people with disabilities.

Improving oneself and team along with learning new things has always
been the passion of Ralph Braun. He never gave a second thought to
learning new things. In 2006, the Braun Corporation adopted the name
Braunability as a brand name. When he was in his 50s, he was holding
the position of CEO at Braun Corporation but he was enfeebled at
public speaking. He then decided to be a student amongst college
teenagers and he succeeded. He was even voted by classes as one of two
contenders for their end-of-year speech.

Ralph Braun was a true pioneer of accessibility. He was so determined

that he used to evaluate every individual need of the customers. He
was inducted into the NMEDA Hall of Fame in 2012 and was recognized as
Employer of the Year by the Commission for the Handicapped and the
Indiana State Board of Health. He was also honored with the Support of
the Guard and Reserves Patriot Award for his support of his employees
who serve in the military. “Rise Above”, an autobiography of Ralph W.
Braun, written by himself inspires everyone where he had stated about
the challenges and roadblock and a strong desire to stand among the
odds.

Entitled as “Champion of Change” by the former president, Barack

Obama, Ralph Braun accredited his father for the support and courage
his father bestowed on him. Starting his career in 1996 as the creator
of the first wheelchair accessible van with hand controls, he turned
his innovations into a massive business with $200 million in annual
sales. After being involved as a part-time or full-time employee,
facing lots of challenges, Braun set upon making the installing-lifts
and conversion vans. With his engineering skills and passionate
dedication, he plunged to self-employment from a part-time employee of
an automobile company providing job opportunities to a large number of
people and changing the lives of people like him.

Ralph Braun proved that disability is not a curse but it’s a

challenge that drives us to be a person of distinct character giving
the world a new thing that the rest of the world has never imagined
before.
 SUCCESSFUL
PERSON
WITH
DISABILITY
Submitted by: Mikylla Lapore
Submitted to: Ma’am Sally Adriatico-Nava