My name is Mary Ann Williams, and this is a story about my mother, and it is Burning the Brace: A Daughter's Tale of Her Mother's Battle With Polio along with other mental-health traumas that included physical, emotional, and verbal Abuse.

By the time my mother, Shirley Ann, was born in 1938, tens of thousands of people were suffering or died from poliomyelitis (polio). It was the COVID-19 of its time. Found lying in her crib, shivering from an almost-108-degree fever, Shirley's grandparents took her to the church before taking her to the hospital ninety miles away because her mother ignored her symptoms. Shirley was there until she was twenty-one months old, and the polio deformed her leg. Shirley endured numerous more surgeries because of the polio. Shirley, after many years of not being taken care of correctly, finally received a shoe that was built up and a brace that she would have for the rest of her life. She endured mental, physical, verbal, and emotional abuse from her parents and others throughout her life. Throughout it all, my mother stood firmly in her faith that she would prevail and she did. My mother taught me about strength and courage and believing in yourself when no one else believes in you.

This story contains an inspiring love story that was so strong on earth and was beautiful. As for me, I earned a master's degree in social work and a bachelor of science degree in social work, with a minor in criminal justice and criminology. I believe that the Lord above had put me in the best place to help others. I work with all different types of mental-health traumas, and the knowledge of what my mother had endured and what I had endured has been helpful in helping others. This story hopes to help others in so many different aspects of life.