♪ ♪ HELLO STEVEN.

HEY DAD.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

PRETTY GOOD.

GOOD.

HOW WAS YOUR TRIP?

OKAY-- TYPICAL AS USUAL.

(Steven) WELL, I LOVE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE MY PARENTS, BECAUSE THEY RAISED ME, THEY TOOK CARE OF ME.

THEY UNDERSTAND ALL THE PROBLEMS I WENT THROUGH.

THEY WERE THERE FOR ME IN ALL THE HARD TIMES AND ALSO JUST AN ADMIRATION OF BEING ABLE TO GO THROUGH LIFE AS A SHORT INDIVIDUAL AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH REAL LIFE AND PEOPLE STARING AT YOU EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY HAVING TO GO THROUGH PEOPLE THAT ARE RUDE, INCONSIDERATE.

DADDY!!

(woman) THEY SAID YOUR BABY'S A DWARF AND THEY JUST KIND OF ZONED OUT, I THINK, I REALLY DON'T KNOW.

I JUST KNOW THAT THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT CAME TO MY MIND WAS WHAT IS A DWARF?

(man) LET'S GO.

COME ON!

(woman) CASSIE, WHERE WE GOING, BABE?

(Cassie) INDIANAPOLIS.

(woman) ALL RIGHT.

INDIANAPOLIS.

THE LITTLE PEOPLE CONVENTION!

MOM...MOM!

I KNOW.

(man) I USED TO HAVE THE FEELING OF WHY DID GOD PUT ME IN THIS SITUATION?

WHY AM I LITTLE?

WHY DO PEOPLE MAKE FUN OF ME?

THERE BECAME A POINT IN MY LIFE WHERE SOMEHOW I TRANSFERRED THE BLAME AND I STOPPED BLAMING MYSELF AND I ROSE ABOVE THAT AND I TRIED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE BLAME ISN'T WITH ME.

IT'S NOT MY FAULT THAT PEOPLE ACT THE WAY THEY DO.

ALL RIGHT BOYS AND GIRLS, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO YOU OUR GUEST SPEAKERS TODAY.

WE HAVE BEEN READING ABOUT PEOPLE THAT ARE LITTLE PEOPLE AND TODAY WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE TWO PEOPLE COME AND TALK TO US ABOUT BEING A LITTLE PERSON AND THEIR CHALLENGES AND SOME OF THEIR SUCCESSES.

SO WELCOME DAVE AND DENISE ECKERMAN TO OUR CLASS.

[loud applause] (Denise) HI GUYS.

WE'RE DAVE AND DENISE ECKERMAN AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT LITTLE PEOPLE TODAY.

(Dave) I'M SURE YOU'RE ALL WONDERING HOW WE GOT HERE.

WE DROVE A CAR AND, IN ORDER TO DRIVE A CAR, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN EXTENSION PUT ONTO THE GAS PEDAL AND TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE REASON WE HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S SO EASILY TO COME ON AND OFF IS THAT WE HAVE TWO SONS WHO ARE AVERAGE SIZE SO IN ORDER FOR THEM TO DRIVE WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THESE COME ON AND OFF REAL EASILY.

AND SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR KIDS HERE, I'LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE.

THIS IS OUR FAMILY.

THIS IS OUR OLDEST SON, MICHAEL.

HE'S A FRESHMAN AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, EAU CLAIRE.

HE'LL BE COMING HOME NEXT WEEKEND.

AND THIS IS OUR OTHER SON, STEVEN, WHO IS A JUNIOR AT RICHFIELD HIGH SCHOOL.

BOTH KIDS ARE AVERAGE HEIGHT, WHICH, THEY'RE JUST ABOUT AS TALL AS YOUR TEACHER RIGHT NOW, MRS.

LINCOLN HERE.

DO YOU LIKE BEING LITTLE PEOPLE?

[both laugh] (Denise) THAT'S A GOOD ONE!

MOST OF THE TIME I WOULD SAY YES.

NOW, I WOULD SAY YES, YES, AND THE FACT THAT I'VE BEEN A LITTLE PERSON ALL THESE YEARS.

IF I ALL OF A SUDDEN WOKE UP TOMORROW MORNING AND I WAS 6 FEET TALL, I THINK I'D HAVE JUST ONE HECK OF A TIME MAKING AN ADJUSTMENT TO THAT.

(Dave) WAY BACK, WHEN I WAS PROBABLY 8 OR 9 YEARS OLD AND IT'S GOING TO SEEM KIND OF STRANGE, BUT THERE WAS THIS FENCE.

IT WAS LIKE AN OLD WOODEN FENCE AND WE WERE WALKING ON THE FENCE.

A BUNCH OF US WERE PLAYING AND I WAS WALKING ON THE FENCE AND THE SUN WAS CASTING A SHADOW AND I NOTICED THE SHADOW AND BECAUSE THE OTHER GUYS WERE ALONG WITH ME AND THE SHADOW DIFFERENCES TOLD ME RIGHT THERE THAT THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE FRIENDS THAT I WAS PLAYING WITH.

WE WERE ALL THE SAME AGE AND THERE IT WAS.

IT WAS REAL EVIDENT TO ME.

MOM, CAN I HAVE A TOWEL?

CASSIE'S GOING TO BE GONE IN A BIT.

(woman) LAURA WAS BORN JUNE 29, 1985.

YOU CAN GO PLAY ON ANGIE'S PLAYGROUND IN HER BACKYARD.

CASSIE WAS BORN MAY 3, 1989.

THAT WOULD BE ACTUALLY KIND OF NICE.

LAURA AND CASSIE WILL PROBABLY BE A LITTLE OVER 3 FEET, IF THAT.

WE FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE CARRYING A RECESSIVE GENE WHEN CASSIE WAS BORN AND EVERYBODY YOU MEET ON THE STREET SAYS, WELL ARE THERE LITTLE PEOPLE IN YOUR FAMILY OR IS YOUR HUSBAND LITTLE OR IS THE GRANDPA LITTLE AND IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

THERE MAY HAVE NEVER BEEN A SHORT-STATURED PERSON IN OUR FAMILY BECAUSE THE TWO GENES MAY NEVER HAVE MATCHED UP.

SO, SOMEHOW TERRY IS CARRYING THE GENE AND I AM.

ANDREW, CAN I USE ONE OF THOSE?

(Terry) WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WE HAD ONE LITTLE PERSON IN OUR SCHOOL, BUT OTHER THAN THAT WE HADN'T BEEN EXPOSED TO ANYTHING OF SHORT STATURE SO WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN THE BABY WAS BORN AND HOW PEOPLE WERE GOING TO REACT AND STUFF AND DOCTORS COULDN'T TELL US ANYTHING AT THE HOSPITAL.

THEY JUST SAID YOUR BABY WAS A DWARF AND THEY KIND OF JUST LEFT IT UP TO THAT AND THERE WASN'T ANY INFORMATION THEY COULD GIVE US AT THE TIME, SO WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

HOW ARE YOU DOING?

ALL RIGHT?

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

ALL RIGHT?

IT'S ALL RIGHT.

(Genene) I WAS BORN IN KOREA AND I LIVED IN AN ORPHANAGE FOR THE FIRST 14 YEARS OF MY LIFE.

WHEN I FIRST GOT ADOPTED WITH THIS PETERSON FAMILY, THE KIDS WERE REALLY UNSURE ABOUT ME AND THEY WERE REALLY AFRAID OF ME, DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO PLAY WITH ME.

(man) STAND-OFFISH.

YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD KIND OF WALK AWAY.

THEY DIDN'T REALLY WANT TO TALK TO ME AND BASICALLY THEY WERE KIND OF IGNORING ME.

AND AT THAT TIME I WASN'T SURE IF I WANTED TO BE ADOPTED BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T REALLY, YOU KNOW, CARE.

THAT'S HOW I FELT.

I FELT LIKE THEY DIDN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT ME.

(man) DID THAT CHANGE?

YEAH, THAT HAS BEEN CHANGED.

NOW, SINCE THEY GOT TO KNOW ME BETTER, THEY ARE MORE INVOLVED WITH ME, I GUESS, BUT AT FIRST THEY WERE REALLY UNSURE ABOUT IT.

THIS'D BE BETTER FOR PARADES.

MUCH BETTER... YEP.

OK?

GET TWO OF THESE.

(Dave) I KNOW MY MOTHER, SHE SAID WELL WHY DON'T YOU TAKE AND GET LIFTS IN YOUR SHOES, MAKE YOURSELF A COUPLE INCHES TALLER?

WELL, TRUE, IT WOULD BE A COUPLE INCHES TALLER, BUT IT'S STILL GOING TO BE A SHORT PERSON AND THAT'S NOT GOING TO CORRECT THE SITUATION; ALTHOUGH MY MOTHER TOOK ME TO SEVERAL DOCTORS WHEN I WAS FIRST BORN TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT THEY COULD DO, BUT FOR THE TYPE OF DWARFISM I HAVE THERE IS NOTHING.

THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT THAT TIME THAT ANYBODY COULD DO.

THEY CONSIDERED PUTTING ME INTO A SPECIAL SCHOOL FOR THE HANDICAPPED.

OUR PEDIATRICIAN SAID NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT.

YOU RAISE HIM THE SAME AS YOU RAISE YOUR OTHER CHILDREN.

GIVE HIM THE SAME UPBRINGING AS YOU WOULD ANYONE ELSE.

WHEN HE'S BAD, SPANK HIM, AND HE'LL INCORPORATE INTO LIFE WHAT HE SHOULD.

THAT SHOULD DO US.

LET'S CHECK OUT.

CONTINUE FROM THERE, LAURA.

(Laura) "FATHER WHY IS GINA AFRAID OF THE OCEAN, HE ASKED.

"THE OCEAN IS VERY BIG," GINA'S FATHER REPLIED.

(Terry) EVERY CHILD THAT WE HAVE, THERE'S A 25% CHANCE THEY COULD BE SMALL, SO YOU CAN HAVE 50 MORE KIDS AND ALL 50 WOULD BE AVERAGE SIZE OR ALL 50 COULD BE SMALL, BUT IT'S 1 OUT OF 4 WITH THE GENE THAT WE CARRY.

HAVING MORE SMALL CHILDREN REALLY WOULDN'T BOTHER ME.

MY CONCERN IS MORE IF THEY DIDN'T FEEL ACCEPTED IN SOCIETY OR PEOPLE DIDN'T TREATMENT THEM RIGHT, YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T WANT THEM TO SAY TO ME, WELL, DAD, YOU KNEW THERE WAS A CHANCE THAT I WAS GOING TO BE LITTLE, YOU KNOW, WHY DID YOU EVEN DECIDE TO HAVE ANOTHER CHILD?

THAT'S MY CONCERN.

(woman) CASSIE, WOULD YOU BE OUR HELPER FOR TODAY?

(all) ♪ WHAT IS THE WEATHER?

♪ ♪ WEATHER?

WEATHER?

♪ ♪ WHAT DOES THE WEATHER CHILD SAY TODAY?

♪ ♪ I SAY IT'S SUNNY, SUNNY.

♪ ♪ I SAY THE WEATHER IS SUNNY TODAY.

♪ THANK YOU, CASSIE!

[applause] OKAY.

ANGIE, YOU TAKE ONE.

PUT THE BALL IN THE MIDDLE.

NO, YOU HAVE TO TRY TO CATCH THE BALL.

YOU CATCH THE BALL.

WHOEVER HITS IT IS IN THE MIDDLE NEXT.

(Terry) IF I COULD HAVE AN AVERAGE-SIZED CHILD, WOULD I SAY I WOULDN'T WANT ONE?

I'D TAKE AN AVERAGE-SIZED CHILD JUST BECAUSE I WOULDN'T HAVE TO SEE THE STUFF THAT PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, SAID TO THEM.

(Tracy) MY CONCERNS WERE THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE AFRAID TO BE AROUND US BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHEN SOMEBODY DIES SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY.

I JUST IMMEDIATELY CALLED EVERYONE UP AND SAID WE HAD OUR BABY, SHE'S A GIRL, SHE'S SMALL BUT SHE'S HEALTHY, AND PLEASE DON'T BE AFRAID TO COME AROUND AND IT KIND OF BROKE THE ICE.

[many people talking] YOU HAVE PINK ON, YOU GET THE PINK EASTER BUNNY.

THE NIGHT THAT SHE WAS BORN WE HAD NO IDEA THAT TRACY'S CHILD WAS GOING TO BE A DWARF.

WE'LL GET YOUR SLIP-ONS.

HEY, MICHAEL!

HE DOESN'T WANT TO GIVE YOU IT.

I DO HURT AND THINK OFTEN ABOUT WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THEM AND I SEE THAT THE WORLD ISN'T ALWAYS KIND AND OUT OF THE SHELTER OF HER FAMILY'S LOVING ARMS I'M SURE THEY'RE GOING TO ENCOUNTER A LOT OF PROBLEMS.

STRAWBERRY, ORANGE, GREEN APPLE, AND LEMON.

GUESS WHICH ONE'S WHICH.

UM ORANGE.

YES.

STRAWBERRY.

YOU GOT TO EAT WHAT YOU TOUCH.

I DON'T THINK SHE'S EVER COME IN CONTACT WITH ANYBODY THAT SHE HASN'T TOUCHED THEIR LIFE.

HER WHOLE ENTIRE BEING IS NOT THAT OF BEING A DWARF.

THAT'S JUST A PART OF WHO SHE IS, BUT HER PERSONALITY WAS WHAT SHE WAS BORN WITH.

THINGS ARE GOING TO BE HARD FOR HER AND I KNOW THAT, BUT SHE'S GOING TO RISE ABOVE IT.

IT'S GOING TO BE HARD, BUT SHE'LL DO IT, AND SHE'LL DO IT IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN CASSIE WILL, BUT CASSIE WILL DO THE SAME THING.

(Terry) THE EASIEST STAGE, I THINK, IS RIGHT NOW.

HOPEFULLY WHEN SHE GROWS UP SHE WILL HAVE PEOPLE THAT ACCEPT HER, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT IS SHE GOING TO GO OUT TO THE DANCES?

ARE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME AND ASK HER OUT FOR A DATE?

I'M HOPING THEY WILL.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO COME.

I WORRY MORE ABOUT THE FUTURE THAN I DO NOW.

YOU GOING TO WALK OR YOU WANT TO BE CARRIED?

I'LL WALK.

GET MY CASE-- OH NEVER MIND.

WAIT.

♪ ♪ BYE-BYE!

♪ ♪ SURE DOESN'T LOOK WET TO ME.

NO.

IT GOT ALL ICKY.

HOW WAS YOUR DAY?

I GOT A LOT OF HOMEWORK.