Tanner Sharpe was dealt the short straw from the day he was born. The local 26-year-old was born with arthrogryposis, a condition the Johns Hopkins Medicine says is inherited at birth, and affects the joints in both the arms and legs. Having this condition is part of the reason high school was so difficult for Tanner.
It’s no secret that younger people tend to be more judgmental, especially when someone has a physical disability that is easily seen. However, Tanner told us that he never really struggled with making friends, despite his obvious physical disability, but the thought of, “what are people saying about me” was in his head for many years.
Tanner never graduated high school due to multiple factors, but has since decided to earn his high school equivalency at Lakeshore Technical College in Manitowoc. He said that the staff at LTC has been more than accommodating to him and his needs.
He also told us that thanks to the combination of friends, family, and the staff at LTC, the amount of stress Tanner has to deal with has been reduced drastically.
Tanner’s story caught the eye of the higher ups at LTC, and they invited him to speak at the announcement of the new downtown location. He told us that he loves the fact that the campus will be easier to get to.
We asked Tanner if he planned to further his education, and he said that it wasn’t off the table.
