James Edward Nelson

Update:  After a long battle with ALS, James passed away on the morning of March 30, 2010. We are told that James used his P10 on a daily basis and it allowed him to keep in close contact with his family and friends.  We feel very fortunate to have shared a part of James’ life, and his story of accomplishment will continue to serve as inspiration to many people for years to come.


Meet James Edward Nelson, the editor and writer of the RutherfordTimes, an online political blog. Mr. Nelson writes his entire blog with the help of hi s MyTobii P10 speech generating device.  Using only his eyes, James conveys his thoughts and opinions through the articles he writes. Although the effects of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, have left James with minimal control over his body, the P10 allows Mr. Nelson to maintain a quality of life by giving him the power of the written and spoken word.

The MyTobii P10 not only provides a voice for verbal communication, but it also helps to establish a person’s identity as well. Although speech generating devices are commonly used to convey medical concerns and every day issues, they can do much more. Not having a voice in the community strips individuals of their ability to educate and influence society, and is just debilitating as being unable to express basic needs. MyTobii P10 user James Edward Nelson has certainly not lost his identity along with his voice. Mr. Nelson has not allowed anything to diminish his beliefs and ideals, or to hinder them from being appreciated across the world.

From an early age, James was passionate in everything he chose to be involved in and his overt enthusiasm shined in his accomplishments. James is a native Detroiter. He graduated from Cass Technical high school in June 1992, where he developed a passion for sports lettering in both football and track. Upon graduation, he went to Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA, where James played fullback for four seasons. As a student at Holy Cross James was deeply involved in the political landscape of campus life serving as Vice President and Vice Chair of Student Concerns for the Black Student Union, and also served on the Student Government Association.

When James graduated from Holy Cross he moved back to Detroit, accepting a position in sales. The following year he began coaching running backs and teaching science at his alma mater Cass Tech. James went on to work for the Pontiac public school system in January 2001. James was a dedicated educator, who maintained his zeal in both sports and education throughout his career.

The summer of 2006 would mark the beginning of symptoms which would lead to a diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In August, friends and family noticed that his speech was slightly slurred. Doctors suggested to him that he had likely suffered a mild stroke. From January forward, James noticed that his arms and legs were weakening as if the strength in his upper and lower extremities were a slow, steady leak. The earliest he could schedule an appointment with a neurologist was May, and after a battery of tests, he was diagnosed with ALS. The loss of speech was debilitating for a man who had used his voice to establish a strong character. James was determined not to lose his sense of self, and was pleased to discover the MyTobii P10, an eye controlled communication device. With the help of Lisa Bardach, a speech pathologist who consults with the ALS Association of Michigan, James obtained the MyTobii P10 in the summer of 2008.

James was fighting valiantly for his own voice, which led him to act as an activist for the voices of others. James was disappointed with the lack of advocacy he personally saw in regards to ALS. He felt that the ALS community needed a strong voice and he committed himself to fighting for the lives and liberties of people with incurable terminal illnesses. The MyTobii P10 afforded James with the opportunity to maintain his life as an ardent sports fan and political commentator. Through his device, James continues to educate himself on a daily basis while striving to educate others.

The increasing lack of mobility proved to be bittersweet for James. It caused him to become a veracious consumer of information. ALS has afforded him the time to watch hundreds of documentary films, read hundreds of articles, watch and listen to countless hours of both alternative and mainstream news programs. With this plethora of knowledge, James proves to be an expeditious contributor and a competent editor for the Rutherford Times Online.
Visit James' blog here:  http://rutherfordtimesonline.com/home/

To view a video clip of James using his P10 device click here: James video

For more information about ALS of Michigan visit http://www.alsofmichigan.org/

Biography sourced from the Rutherford Times Online with permission.