PEP timeline

By Beckyroe

  • Graduates from colege

    Montclair State CollegeRich was twenty-one years old. He graduated from Montclair State College with a degree in Science education. He was immmediatly hired for his first teaching job at Monroe Street School in an urban suburb of Newark.

  • The turning point in his life

    Rich is sad and depressed because he is losing his eyesight and feels as if he can no longer teach. The president of the school, Mr. Lally informs Rich that he is an amazing teacher, and nothing negative has ever been said about him. Mr. Lally tells Rich that he will continue to teach at that school because he is worth it.

  • He completely lost his vision.

    Rich learned that when you lose one of your sences, the others don't automaticaly improve. But it is a matter of learning to use them more effectively. He still worked hard at class preparation, spending hours listening to and memorizing tapes of textbooks.

  • He believes that he found god

    Rich believes that god taught him that if he "replaces humanism and narcissism with giving, and if he replaces himself with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, wonderful things happen". Rich also thinks that god helped him to accept his blindness. And he learned to turn his anger into happiness and to accept the things that canot be changed.

  • Disabled blind athlete of the year.

    The United States Olympic Committee named Ruffalo as the Disabled Athlete of the Year for athletic, civic, and professional accomplishments. Rich deserved this because he has won numerous honors and awards. He is the winner of four different world titles in shot put, discus, javelin, and powerlifting. He has earned 14 international gold medals, won 32 national titles, set 9 world and 15 national records, and has won 13 USA Track and Field K-2ster's State Titles against sighted competetors.

  • He gets married.

    He proposed to Diane when they were out at dinner. They were celebrating his achievment of winning a gold metal and an important athletic award. He won the gold metal for the discus at the paralympics in Seoul, South Korea.

  • His daughter is born.

    His wife Diane gave birth to Sara Elizabeth.

  • National teachers hall of fame

    national teachers hall of fameRich was selected as one of five educators from the United States to be inducted into the national teachers hall of fame. As a popular citizen in Belleville, New Jersey. He received the "Outstanding Citizen of the Year" award in 1994 in addition to the national teachers hall of fame award.

  • Award presented by vice president

    At the Walt Disney Company McDonald's American Teacher Awards, Rich was named the Outstanding Coach of the Year and the Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Vice President Al Gore presented the award to him on nationwide television.