Teri Siri and her twin sister were born in Portland, Oregon in September 1964. After a few months, it became clear Teri's physical development was not on par with her twin sister, Traci. Doctors determined that Teri had cerebral palsy (CP), a physical condition that would become a defining factor in her life. A strong spirit and invincible determination proved to be some of Teri's greatest strengths as she grew up and now, as she lives a full productive life, shattering any early predictions that she would probably be "a vegetable."
Teri spent much of her early life moving frequently with her young, divorced mother, her twin, and her older sister, Tami. Teri's father decided he was not ready for marriage and family, so he left. Her maternal grandparents were key people in Teri's life, and it was her grandmother, Nana, who was determined that Teri would succeed in life and be treated "normally." Nana defied the "experts" who recommended institutionalizing Teri. Nana was Teri's biggest inspiration and number one cheerleader for years as Teri endured multiple surgeries, rehab, and daily challenges living coping with CP.
Ages and dates are sometimes a blur for Teri because she moved so many times as a child. Teri groups her childhood memories around where she was living at any given time. A part of the frequent moving was due to Teri getting the medical help she needed. It also was part of the family lifestyle. When Teri was a young child, her mom married again, her husband a musician and singer in a band. For a couple of years they moved often, living in Oregon, Northern California, and Florida. During her grammar school years, Teri never stayed at any one school for more than a year, and sometimes a couple of different schools within a year. It all became a blur to Teri.
When Teri was a pre-teen, her mom remarried Teri's birth father, and the family moved to Arizona where he lived. Teri went to two different high schools in Arizona and then returned to California to finish high school after her parents divorced for a second time. Teri was 19 when her parents split.
As a young adult, Teri chose to move back to Portland, Oregon, in part to be near her Nana and Bapa. She went to college for awhile and eventually got a job working for Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). Teri began as a clerk typist and over the years rose to a high-responsibility, high-pressure job as a Scheduler. In this position, Teri bought and sold electric power hourly in what is called "real time." This job was similar, in ways, to working on the stock market, but buying and selling power for BPA. Teri's other jobs at BPA included Revenue Analyst and Senior Revenue Analyst. She was good at every job she took on. After 24 years at BPA, Teri decided to retire, tired of the hustle. She eventually moved to the greater San Diego, California area.
While in Oregon, Teri married, but after 16 years she decided to divorce her husband. Along the way, she traveled internationally several times, went skydiving, bungee jumping, snow skiing, sailing, and fell in love again. Any activity that someone declared Teri could not good because of her physical limitations, Teri would do it and prove the naysayer wrong. Now, she regularly takes extended, cross-country motorcycle trips with her partner. "I like anything that gets my adrenaline pumping," Teri explains.
She loves music, especially Steven Tyler and Aerosmith, and she has attended many music concerts in different venues. Teri's story defies people's perceptions and prejudices about those with physical challenges. Teri rejects those biases and the limited, stereotypical thinking about "disabled people." "What can people with disabilities do?" Teri asks in her memoir. "Read on, I'll tell you what I can do."
